The BRIT Awards has today revealed the results of an independent economic and social impact study into its 2026 show at Co-op Live, Manchester, the first time in the ceremony’s nearly five-decade history that the UK’s biggest night in music has been held outside London. The report confirms The BRITs’ move to Manchester delivered significant economic and social impact for the city and Greater Manchester area, contributing £5 million in direct spend, over 15,000 days of employment, £3.45 million in Gross Value Added, and £11.2 million in monetised social impact; bringing audiences, investment and global attention to Manchester through the awards ceremony showcasing the biggest names in British and global music, along with a wider programme of music, culture, learning and educational activity.
In an independent study conducted by AMION Consulting, figures released today detail the event’s positive and indisputable footprint in the city and Greater Manchester area, demonstrated through social value, partnerships and strengthened city profile, with the local economy boosted by visitor and organiser spending. A wider programme of events extended the reach of the BRITs beyond the ceremony itself, including BRITs Week gigs, Fringe Lab education days, Manchester Welcomes programming, The BRITs Art Trail, industry networking events, media activity, educational engagement and community focused initiatives.
Economic and social impact
- £5 million net additional expenditure in Manchester, of which £3.6 million was visitor expenditure and £1.4 million was organiser and partner expenditure
- £3.45 million Gross Value Added
- Over 3,000 one week temporary jobs were created (3,099), equivalent to 15,497 days of employment for Manchester based workers
- The social impact could be monetised to the sum of £11.2 million, with that figure considered a very strong result when assessing the wellbeing impact of event attendance and community engagement.
The economic assessment focused on spending retained in Manchester that would otherwise not have taken place in the city across visitor spending and organiser and partner spending. To avoid overstating the impact, the assessment excluded ticket income and was adjusted for displacement. The assessment also removed spending which took place outside of the city and Greater Manchester area.
The social impact assessment considers the wider value generated for people and communities, including cultural participation, civic pride, digital engagement and Manchester’s strengthened profile as a major events destination.
AMION Consulting stated that the event also delivered wider benefits not captured in these headline figures, including stronger local partnerships, increased visibility for Manchester’s music ecosystem, positive impacts on perceptions of the city, a clear uplift in hotel performance, education and careers activity, city centre cultural activation and community engagement throughout the wider BRITs programme.
Audience and media reach
- Almost 25,000 people (24,912) attended the Award Show and wider events. 52% (12,850) of this overall total attended wider programme events, highlighting the interest in BRITs related activity available to communities outside of the award show
- 92% of Award Show attendees rated the experience as excellent or good, whilst 94% of attendees at wider BRITs events rated them as excellent or good
- The Net Promoter Score for both the Award Show and wider events shows a strong response for each area; scores of 62 for the Award Show and 63 for wider events indicate very strong audience advocacy
The move to Manchester broadened access to the BRITs and helped engage new audiences beyond the night of the Award Show itself. From performances and exhibitions, to educational activity and community engagement, audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive and extensive media and digital coverage amplified Manchester’s profile on a global stage.
Stacey Tang, Co-President of RCA Records at Sony Music UK, and Chair of the BRITs Committee said: “Moving the BRITs to Manchester was about more than moving an awards show. It’s about shining a light on the incredible talent and creative communities across the UK, opening up opportunities, and widening participation. Music can connect people and shape culture, but it also creates jobs, drives investment and inspires future careers. This report captures both sides of that story – the economic impact and the human impact. That’s what makes this such an exciting foundation to build on for the future.”
Dr Jo Twist OBE, CEO of the BPI, which owns and organises The BRIT Awards, said: “Music has the power to connect people and communities in unique ways, and these impressive economic, social and cultural returns to Manchester are testament to that power. Moving significant cultural moments like The BRIT Awards and Fringe out of London deliver enormous value to cities and regions around the UK and reflect the diversity of talent we have across the country.”
“We’re delighted that a legacy is being created for the city and its communities, and we look forward to building on that in the coming months as we work with our record label members and all our partners to deliver an even more memorable and impactful series of events in 2027.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig, said: “Manchester is known throughout the world for its incredible music scene, and bringing the BRIT Awards here for the first time was a massive moment for our city region. It was a recognition not only of our unmatched music heritage, but our growing reputation for putting on national and global events and making a success of them.
“Events like these bring millions of pounds into our economy and boost our culture and hospitality industries, but they’re also about creating opportunities and inspiring people here with major events in world-class venues right on their doorstep.
“We’ve done it once in style, and we’ll do it again next year. I’m excited to help make 2027 an even bigger year for The BRITs, celebrating our thriving music scene and showcasing the creativity, talent and ambition that make this place so special.”
Councillor Garry Bridges, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has a fast-growing reputation as a city that is a brilliant place to host high profile national and international events, and we’re determined to make sure these events – like this year’s BRIT Awards – also benefit the city and people who live here.
“In addition to producing a phenomenally successful awards show that had the eyes of the world on us, the partnership between the BRITs and Manchester went so much further – with a massive social and economic reach right across the city and into our communities, which is still being felt now.
“A music city to our core, we’ve got a fantastic pool of talent and expertise here in Manchester and can’t wait to work with the BRITs team again as they look to widen the impact of the awards even further and make next year’s BRIT Awards the most incredible yet.”
The 2026 BRIT Awards on 28th February delivered its biggest global audience ever and record-breaking social reach, cementing the show’s status as a global stage for showcasing the best in international music and the next generation of British talent. This was supported with an extraordinary performance line-up, featuring Harry Styles, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X, Mark Ronson, Olivia Dean, ROSALÍA, RAYE and Wolf Alice, helping to make the 2026 show one of the most talked-about BRITs to date. Beyond the night itself, The BRITs took over Manchester in the weeks leading up to the show, through a number of exciting on-the-ground activations, a city-wide cultural programme and first ever BRITs Fringe, whilst a record-breaking BRITs Week for War Child saw even more gigs take place across the UK than ever before, with artists including Robbie Williams, Olivia Dean, Jacob Alon, Myles Smith and Lambrini Girls all taking to various venue stages to help raise an astonishing £1.16million for War Child.
The 2027 BRIT Awards will take place on Saturday 27th February once again at Manchester’s Co-op Live, on ITV1 and ITVX in a prime-time weekend slot, that will see fans all over the UK and the world come together to celebrate the biggest artists and most exciting music of the year.
The economic and social impact study report was conducted by AMION Consulting, whose past work includes reporting across Eurovision 2023, Coventry UK City of Culture, Bradford UK City of Culture and the London 2012 Olympic Games. The independent assessment considered the economic, social, cultural and media impacts generated in Manchester and the Greater Manchester area, drawing on ticketing records, audience survey responses, stakeholder engagement, media and digital analytics and evidence provided by delivery partners.
Author: Sam Hyland
Sam is the assistant content manager for Event Industry News (EIN). Sam is involved in publishing news stories, videos and podcasts. Sam also collates the latest stories for the EIN e-newsletter. If you have a press release or story you think we might be interested to know about please email features@eventindustrynews.com
