The BRIT Awards has unveiled BRITs Fringe, a programme of engagement taking place across Manchester ahead of this year’s event.
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday, February 28 at Manchester’s Co-op Live.
“Created to amplify and extend the impact of The BRITs, BRITs Fringe celebrates Greater Manchester’s rich musical heritage, its vibrant contemporary scene and the next generation shaping the future of UK music,” said a statement.
Under the banner 'Manchester Seen and Heard', BRITs Fringe will use the global platform to amplify grassroots creativity and connect emerging talent with the wider music industry.
The Fringe will be delivered by music development organisation Brighter Sound, in collaboration with Manchester Music City and supported by Manchester City Council, GMCA and the Manchester Accommodation BID.
At the centre of the celebration is Fringe Lab, a one-day creative music industry forum, mixer and live showcase at New Century Hall on Friday, February 27. Bringing together emerging artists, music professionals and creatives, it will feature talks, workshops and masterclasses and high-energy discussions. It culminates in a showcase spotlighting four artists.
In the days leading up to the awards, Brighter Sound will also deliver BRITs Fringe: First Steps – a trio of targeted development events for young learners aimed at supporting them to pursue careers in the music industry. The sessions will be hosted at Band On The Wall, the School of Digital Arts (SODA) and the Royal Northern College of Music.
A collaborative project with Manchester's music education service will also take BRITs Fringe into schools across the city, further encouraging early musical engagement.
Stacey Tang, chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and co-president of RCA Records at Sony Music UK, said: “We’re excited to launch the first programme of BRITs Fringe events, helping to unlock opportunities and reach the creative communities within Manchester. The BRIT Awards have a strong history of championing music education, and these events will give local communities a chance to be part of the biggest night in British music, while highlighting the region’s unique culture and talent. I’m grateful for the energy our partners have brought to this remarkable series of events, creating space for the next generation of creative talent.”
The BRIT Awards have a strong history of championing music education, and these events will give local communities a chance to be part of the biggest night in British music
Stacey Tang
Kate Lowes, director at Brighter Sound, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be delivering the very first BRITs Fringe, and it feels especially fitting that it’s happening in Manchester – known for its long history of being a true 'city of firsts.' We're also delighted to be working with a steering group of incredible Greater Manchester creatives and music professionals (made up of representatives from the Manchester Music City network and the Greater Manchester Music Commission) to ensure the BRITs Fringe is rooted in local scenes.
“Brighter Sound has always supported and championed underrepresented creative voices and aims to make music-making accessible, inclusive, and rooted in community. Everything we do is led from the heart, with grassroots creativity at the centre. BRITs Fringe is about ensuring that the energy, ideas, and talent coming from the ground up have a real presence and impact around the BRIT Awards. By creating space for emerging artists, young people, and new voices, we’re helping to shape the next generation of creative talent – while showing how a values-led approach can influence the biggest stages in music.”
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester is known the world over for music and for the musical talent that has come out of the city - which is why The BRITs and Manchester are such a perfect fit for each other.
"Music in all its forms makes a massive contribution to the economic wellbeing of the city thanks to an infrastructure that supports both major music artists and local up and coming musicians.
"Our independent music scene is legendary and continues to grow, with well-established networks of support for creatives across the city. This year's first-ever BRITs Fringe looks set to build brilliantly on this by providing some incredible additional opportunities in the run-up to the awards both for local Manchester artists to directly showcase their talents, and also for young people looking to break into the music industry to hear direct from people already working in the sector."
Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI chief executive, said: “The BRIT Awards are as much about the lasting cultural and economic impact they help to create, as they are presenting a compelling global platform to showcase the next generation of brilliant new talent and a stage to entertain and inspire audiences. That’s why we’re so delighted to develop our first BRITs Fringe with Brighter Sound and with Manchester Music City and other valued partners – so that we can really turn up the dial and engage communities across the city and region. We want the fans to know this is as much their event, and to encourage them to embrace all that The BRIT Awards with Mastercard will bring to Manchester.”
Nominations livestream and Meta partnership
The Bring On The BRITs with Mastercard: The 2026 Nominations livestream has also been announced. It goes live on the BRITs’ Instagram and Facebook from 5pm on Wednesday, January 21.
The livestream will be presented by DJ and BBC Radio 1 broadcaster Sarah Story and presenter and content creator Charley Marlowe. Filmed at Co-op Live, it will feature exclusive interviews with some of this year’s nominees and a performance from the 2026 BRITs Critics’ Choice winner.
The nominations livestream continues the partnership between the BRITs and Meta, which launched last year with the BRITs WhatsApp channel. It will also see exclusive content published on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook up to the awards and beyond.
The public will be invited to vote for the winners of Song Of The Year and International Song Of The Year, exclusively on WhatsApp.
