Another day, another new title Manchester can be proud of.
Fresh off the back of being named one of the best places to visit in the UK in 2024 by Time Out, and followed by the New York Times giving us a shoutout as one of the best cities in the world to head to this year – and also not so long after we’ve been ranked as the ‘chlamydia capital’ of the UK too (but we not quite so proud of that one, obviously) – Manchester has found itself at the top of another list.
This time around, our city has been praised for its culture and artistic vision, as Manchester has been named the ‘creative capital’ of the UK – or, otherwise known as, the country’s most creative city.
Manchester’s newest title comes as Adobe Express recently-ran a survey of 2,000 UK adults, and learned that just one in six (15%) Brits are planning to take up a hobby as one of their new year’s resolutions in 2024.
The same survey found that more than two thirds (67%) of the nation declared themselves as ‘very creative’.
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Manchester has been named the ‘creative capital’ of the UK / Credit: Marketing Manchester | Kimpton Clocktower Hotel
But which UK towns and cities officially lead the way on the creativity scale?
Well, in a bid to find out, Adobe Express experts took a look at look a variety of factors, such as the number of jobs available in the art sector, the number of museums and galleries, and the number of notable artists born in each of the 30 towns or cities compared within the study, to come up with the top 10 list that Manchester sits atop of.
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Top 10 most creative cities in the UK
Manchester
Brighton and Hove
Bristol
Leeds
Edinburgh
Liverpool
Newcastle
Glasgow
Norwich
Nottingham
Manchester claimed the title with an overall creativity score of 8.7/10, as we’ve apparently got a whopping 111 notable creatives per 100,000 people – including musicians, painters, and writers – as well as around 31 relevant job roles per 100,000 residents in the creative arts sector too.
More than two thirds (67%) of Brits declared themselves as ‘very creative’ / Credit: Flickr
Brighton and Hove follow close behind us in second place, with the rest of the top five being rounded out by Bristol, Leeds, and Edinburgh.
Fellow Northern cities Liverpool and Newcastle also feature in the top 10.
At the other end of the spectrum, however, the UK’s least creative town out of all 30 locations analysed was found to be Northampton,with an overall creativity score of just 2.0/10, and it’s joined near the bottom of the list by other places such as Hull and Stoke-on-Trent.
Featured Image – Marketing Manchester
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd January 2024 
