People will take to their doorsteps to clap for our NHS tonight

The Manc - 26th March 2020

News

Beyond The Music moves to MediaCity for the first-time ever

Danny Jones

Beyond The Music moves to MediaCity for 2026 festival

Greater Manchester arts festival and conference Beyond The Music is back for 2026, but this time it will be heading to MediaCity for a Salford debut.

The long weekender is still a relative newcomer when it comes to the Manc events calendar, but it’s quickly gathered plenty of repute not just in the North West but within the industry as a whole.

Holding just its third edition later this year, Beyond The Music ’26 is set to be the most ambitious yet, spread across the three days and promising an impressive lineup both in terms of live performers, but also speakers, industry experts and wider activities.

And now it’s coming to the Quays.

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A post shared by Beyond The Music (@gobeyondmcr)

With MediaCity and dock10 hosting their inaugural Beyond The Music, it’s another big win for the second city, with Sports Personality of the Year sticking over Salford way for the foreseeable future, along with other events like the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Awards moving to the Quayside.

Much of the BBC’s World Cup coverage is also being hosted at their Salfordian studios and main Northern base this summer, too.

Given that so many big annual dates have now made the switch to central Manchester – the BRITs and the MOBOs, just to name two recent examples – you could say it only makes sense to spread things out across the surrounding boroughs and their equally rich heritage.

Not that you should need reminding, but Salford isn’t just part of the region: it’s a city all of its own right that boasts an immense amount of pride over what is nothing short of a sterling musical history.

As for the 2026 Beyond The Music programme, besides both the local artists and more international creatives than ever, there’ll be keynote conversations, industry showcases, and wider networking opportunities for anyone looking to immerse themselves deeper in this world.

You’ll have to wait a little while longer for a full live music lineup, but watch this space…

beyond the music 2026 tickets — *Mayor Andy Burnham and friends help launch Beyond the Music at MediaCityUK (Credit: Mark Waugh)*

Sarah Pearson, Co-founder of Beyond The Music, said in an official statement: “Beyond The Music’s mission is to seize this moment, to come together and drive meaningful and lasting change in the music and content industry.

“It’s undeniable that the impact and importance of music and content are stronger than ever, but this is not reflected in their perceived value.

“The ethical and economic infrastructure of the music and content industries demands urgent attention and bold reform… It is our responsibility to protect creativity in order to ensure it doesn’t just survive but thrives. Things may feel difficult, but they are still possible.”

Mayor Burnham added: “Greater Manchester has always been at the forefront of cultural innovation, and Beyond The Music is a vital opportunity for the sector to come together and address the challenges and opportunities facing music and content creation…

“With its move to MediaCity and a bigger-than-ever programme, Beyond The Music is helping to
cement our city region’s place at the centre of the creative economy.”

Taking place between 7-9 October 2026, you can register for early bird tickets right HERE. Roll on an even more extensive festival season than ever.

Rochdale Feel Good Festival announces headliners with MAJOR 90s act

Every area seems to have at least one happening this year.

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Featured Images — Mark Waugh Photographer (supplied)

News

No trams to run on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend

Emily Sergeant

A Metrolink tram in Manchester city centre

People are being urged to ‘plan ahead’ as no trams are set to run on three major Greater Manchester Metrolink lines this weekend.

As part of a continuing £150 million investment in the Metrolink network across the region, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that more than 1km of track will be replaced on the Altrincham line, and work will also take place between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield to prepare for full track replacement later in the year.

As a result, there will be no trams on the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this Easter bank holiday weekend all day from Friday 3 to Monday 6 April.

On top of these line closures, there is also set to be disruption across other parts of the network too, as on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines, trams will run to Firswood only, and services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.

To keep people moving over the four-day weekend, replacement buses will run between all the affected stops, TfGM has confirmed.

Anyone using a replacement bus, however, will still need a valid Metrolink ticket or a one-day Bee bus ticket to travel, and customers will be able to use all existing options to buy these, as they will not be able to buy a ticket or pay for the fare on the replacement buses themselves.

No trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM

Replacement buses are said to be calling at ‘all affected stops’ along the lines, so customers are being told not to worry about that.

Speaking ahead of the improvement works being carried out this weekend, Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “The first main upgrades of the year get under way over the Easter weekend, as our £150m programme to improve our network continues.

“We’ll be doing everything we can to minimise disruption to passengers while we carry out this essential work to ensure our tram network remains reliable, resilient and safe for years to come.”

TfGM has assured that staff will be out and on-hand across the network this weekend, but is urging anyone travelling to plan for their journeys ahead of time to make sure they go as smoothly as possible.

Looking ahead to the rest of the month, no trams will run between Piccadilly Gardens and Ashton-under-Lyne on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April while the track is repaired, and a further weekend closure for track repairs on the Ashton line will take place on Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April.

Find out more and plan ahead on the Bee Network’s dedicated webpage here.

Featured Image – Janus Boye