Old Granada Studios brings together creative industries for Enterprise City festival launch

The historic Old Granada Studios will be the hub for a launch festival celebrating the creative industries.

The ECUK festival will feature everything from live arts and crafts making to VR demonstrations and live music across four stages.

It’s a chance for creatives to come together and immerse themselves in a series of varied workshops and events, whilst relaxing, unwinding and meeting potential collaborators.

It also sparks the start of a series of live events ECUK:Live which will dedicate monthly events to each of the 12 creative industries.

On the Workshop/Makers stage, attendees have the chance to partake in brush-lettering workshops with designer Lola Hoad, botanical candle making with London’s Sun.Day, immersive digital art with Lazerian, as well as an illustration workshop with Alex Jones.

Craft beer writer Matt Curtis will join a panel on the Disruption and Discussion stage, including Track Brew Co’s Sam Dyson, Neighbourhood Agency, Magnetic North and MediaCom to discuss the importance of storytelling for brands, particularly in the world of craft beer.

This stage is also host to speakers from The Crystal Maze team, and globally-renowned design publications Wallpaper and Creative Review who will discuss the Power of Print.

For those interested in the future of tech and art, a collection of talks will also be taking place on the Innovation Stage, including the Lumen Prize Gold Award 2016 Hyperplanes of Simultaneity and tech-illustrator Tash Willcocks of Hyper Island.

Food and drink will be provided in the form of specialty coffee and homemade cakes from Northern Quarter’s Idle Hands, as well as nutritional goodness from Soulmate Foods. Small plates will be provided by Spinningfields newest restaurant Beastro, whilst craft beers from Track, ABC and MCR Brew Co will be on the bar as well as a menu of dazzling cocktailed designed to reflect your industry. A small, intimate wine tasting will also be held during the day, hosted by experienced sommelier Nick Fildes.

DJs from Reform Radio and live music will take place in the evening, signalling the end of the creative workshops and the start of a party in one of the Manchester’s most famous and iconic buildings.

Billed as the launch for Enterprise City, the festival is a precursor to the cluster itself, which will support creative businesses from start-up to grown-up across a family of five buildings at the new St. John’s Neighbourhood.

The festival is free. Simply book online. Workshop details and extra events will be announced on social media via Twitter and Instagram. Tickets for some workshops will be limited.

Old Granada Studios, 26 April 2017 13:00 – 22:00 

@ECUK_Mcr