MAD//Fest has today announced that its northern edition, MAD//North, will return to Aviva Studios, home of Factory International, as the event expands into an enlarged ‘campus’ style format across Manchester’s vibrant St John’s creative district, 25-26 February.
The event launched successfully in 2025 at Manchester’s landmark cultural venue, Aviva Studios where it welcomed attendees from the brand, creative, advertising and marketing industry. For 2026, the event has grown its footprint to encompass a full venue takeover, as well as expanding into the neighbouring state-of-the-art Versa Studios, the iconic former home of Granada Television. The growth will turn the surrounding St John’s area into a dynamic multi-venue village experience for 6,000 attendees.
This expansion will transform MAD//North into a campus-style festival, enabling more attendees, content, stages, activations, experiences, and networking spaces for brands and agencies to connect.
The St John’s district, a hub for creativity, media and innovation, provides the perfect campus for MAD//North. Aviva Studios will continue to host the main headline stages, while Versa Studios will house a range of new features and content streams, reflecting its rich broadcasting heritage and future-facing production facilities.
Dan Brain, Co-founder of MAD//Fest, commented: “The appetite for MAD//North has been phenomenal, and we knew we had to think bigger for 2026. Creating a campus across St John’s – a thriving hub for the creative industries and home of top brands with an increasingly strong infrastructure – is the perfect next step.”
“The expansion will give the community more of what they value: inspiration, innovation, and a scaled-up experience to connect brands and agencies from the north and beyond.”
Scott McVittie, Executive Commercial Director, Factory International, added: “We’re thrilled that MAD//North will return to Aviva Studios in 2026. It’s just the sort of event and the kind of audience we love to host here. It complements our creative and cultural programme, from world-class performances and music to the business of the creative industries.
“Alongside our neighbours at Versa Studios, it becomes a real Manchester moment and a creative and inspiring environment for the marketing, brand, and advertising industry. We can’t wait to see the campus vision of MAD//North come to life across the venue and the wider St John’s area.”
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director, Marketing Manchester, also added: “Greater Manchester is recognised as one of Europe’s largest creative and marketing clusters, home to some of the world’s best agencies and media brands, as well as a constantly evolving cultural sector. We’re delighted therefore, that MAD//North is returning to Manchester for its second year, anchoring itself in St John’s and set to welcome thousands of the best creative minds from across the country.”
Author: Kizzy Allott
Kizzy Allott is Publisher at Event Industry News, where she has been a driving force behind the brand for over a decade. With a deep understanding of the events sector and a passion for storytelling, Kizzy leads the platform’s commercial and content strategy, connecting the industry through news, insights, and meaningful conversations. She is dedicated to championing innovation, amplifying industry voices, and ensuring event professionals stay informed, inspired, and future-focused.
