Manchester Mayor Bev Craig has declared that the city’s musical identity transcends its world-famous heritage band Oasis, announcing a significant new investment aimed at supporting a wider spectrum of local talent. The £2 million funding pledge was unveiled during a creative industries conference held at MediaCity in Salford.
Craig emphasized that the initiative is designed to nurture a diverse array of artists across the Greater Manchester region, explicitly stating that support would extend to “guitar bands or not.” A primary focus of the investment will be improving access to essential rehearsal and production facilities, which are critical for developing emerging talent beyond the area’s most iconic export.
The announcement highlights a strategic effort by the city council to cultivate a more inclusive and varied music ecosystem, ensuring that contemporary and alternative genres receive the same level of institutional backing as the legacy acts that have historically defined Manchester’s global cultural brand.
I’ve been denied studio time for years. Let’s see if this fund actually opens doors or just more red tape.
As a local grime artist, I hope this actually reaches underrepresented communities and isn’t just more of the same.
Is two million really enough to make a dent in production costs? Seems a bit light for the whole region.
Finally! Manchester has so much more than just Britpop. Excited to see diverse genres get the support they deserve.