It has been announced that next year’s Brit Awards will be held in Manchester, signaling a broader trend of major cultural events expanding beyond the confines of London.
This is the first time the ceremony has taken place outside London since the awards began in 1977.
The ceremony will take place at the Co-op Live arena on 28 February, after being held at London’s 02 Arena for the past 15 years.
A two-year deal means that the 2027 ceremony, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Brit Awards, will also be held at the same venue.
Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester said: “For The BRIT Awards to move out of London is a massive coup for Greater Manchester. After 48 years, it is great that this prestigious global event is about to arrive in the UK capital of music and culture.”
The first ever Brit Awards were held at the Wembley Conference Centre, which was demolished in 2006 and turned into flats. The Brit Awards became an annual event in 1982, taking place at the Grosvenor House Hotel and other London venues including the Royal Albert Hall, the Dominion Theatre, Hammersmith Apollo, Alexandra Palace, Earls Court Exhibition Centr,e and London Arena.
The Brit Awards is the second major music ceremony this year, to announce plans to leave London.
Last month the BPI, which represents the British music industry and runs the Brit Awards, also revealed that this year’s Mercury Prize will be held in Newcastle in September after 32 years in the capital.
Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO and BRITs committee member, said: “This exciting new chapter celebrates not only Manchester’s exceptional musical heritage and its status as a powerhouse of British creativity, but the great depth of artistic energy and potential that exists all across the UK.”
The decision to move the Brit Awards to Manchester signals a broader trend of major cultural events expanding beyond the traditional confines of London.
With both the Brit Awards and the Mercury Prize announcing relocations to northern cities, there is a clear shift towards celebrating regional talent and cultural infrastructure across the UK.
This decentralisation reflects growing recognition of cities like Manchester and Newcastle as vital hubs of music, creativity, and innovation. It also represents a strategic effort to make the arts more accessible and inclusive, spreading economic and cultural opportunities more evenly throughout the country.
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