BRIT Awards reveals BRITs Fringe programme in Manchester

In a first for The BRIT Awards, details were announced today for BRITs Fringe, a programme of engagement taking place across Manchester ahead of this year’s event. Also announced was Bring on the BRITs with Mastercard: The 2026 Nominations, a livestream exclusively hosted on the BRITs’ Instagram and Facebook from 5pm on Wednesday 21st January.

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. Under the banner 'Manchester Seen and Heard', BRITs Fringe harnesses The BRIT Awards’ global platform, to amplify grassroots creativity, elevate local voices and connect emerging talent with the wider music industry.

Delivered by Brighter Sound, a locally rooted yet globally connected music development organisation - in collaboration with Manchester Music City and supported by Manchester City Council, GMCA and the Manchester Accommodation BID - BRITs Fringe shines a spotlight on Manchester’s dynamic music scene through an exciting programme of events.

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 27th February, the eve of The BRIT Awards. Bringing together emerging artists, music professionals and creatives, FRINGE LAB features bold talks, hands-on workshops, immersive masterclasses and high-energy discussions. The day culminates in a public live showcase spotlighting four of Manchester’s potential future BRIT Award winners.

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. Hosted at Band on the Wall, the School of Digital Arts (SODA) and the Royal Northern College of Music, these sessions aim to inspire, upskill and empower the next generation of Manchester’s music talent. Extending its reach even further, a collaborative project with Manchester's music education service will take BRITs Fringe into schools across the city, further encouraging early musical engagement and nurturing creativity at every level.

Visit www.brightersound.com/brits-fringe for more information

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.”

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.”

Bring on the BRITs with Mastercard: The 2026 Nominations

Bring on the BRITs with Mastercard: The 2026 Nominations, the livestream exclusively hosted on the BRITs’ Instagram and Facebook from 5pm on Wednesday 21st January, is the first place to find out which artists are nominated for The BRIT Awards 2026.

Presented by DJ and BBC Radio 1 broadcaster Sarah Story and presenter and content creator Charley Marlowe, Bring on The BRITs with Mastercard, filmed at Co-op Live, features exclusive interviews with some of this year’s nominees and a performance from the 2026 BRITs Critics’ Choice winner. Sarah and Charley will look ahead to the main show and Charley will be sneaking around backstage to give fans a behind the scenes look at the BRITs’ new home.

Sarah Story said: “The BRITs is THE most iconic night in British music so it’s an honour to be hosting the nominations announcement and winner interviews on the night. I’ll get that first conversation with the artists when they receive their award! How exciting is that?! I’ve grown up watching the BRITs since I was a kid so this really is a dream come true!”

Charley Marlowe said: “I am over the moon to be co-hosting the BRITs nominations livestream and red carpet. To be celebrating such incredible musical talent is one thing, but to do it in Manchester is just frabjous. All the stars can rest assured knowing they’ve got the warmest of welcomes waiting for them up here, and I’m on standby to cause (controlled) chaos on the carpet. What more could you want.”

The Nominations stream continues the partnership between The BRITs and Meta, with the BRITs WhatsApp channel, launched last year, the first place to hear the biggest news about BRITs 2026. It will also see exclusive content published on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook between now, the Awards and beyond. The public will be invited to vote for the winners of Song of the Year with Mastercard and International Song of the Year, exclusively on WhatsApp. Details of how to vote will be announced via the BRITs WhatsApp channel and social accounts in the coming days, with the winners being announced on the night.

Last month, award-winning comedian, actor, presenter and writer Jack Whitehall was revealed as the host for this year’s ceremony. The news was announced via his “Ode to Manchester”, shared exclusively across BRITs’ socials. In true Jack fashion, he covers everything from the cobbles of Coronation Street to the Curry Mile, the Industrial Revolution to the invention of barm cake. Jack’s return to Manchester marks his sixth time presenting the show, having previously hosted in 2025, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.

The shortlist for the prestigious BRITs Critics’ Choice award was also revealed last month, with Jacob Alon, Rose Gray and SIENNA SPIRO the chosen three. They follow in the footsteps of an impressive alumni of former winners and nominees who have gone on to achieve remarkable success after being shortlisted, including Dua Lipa, Adele, Florence + The Machine, James Blake, Michael Kiwanuka, Sam Smith, Jorja Smith, Griff, FLO, The Last Dinner Party, Myles Smith and more. The Critics’ Choice shortlist continues to act as a barometer for the next generation of British talent.

This year the BRIT award has been designed by internationally acclaimed British designer Matthew Williamson. Inspired by his Manchester roots and the city’s famous drive and resilience, the trophy is amber toned resin - resembling the golden honey of a worker bee, the city’s mascot - atop a globe representing the worldwide reach of British music.

The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard will take place on Saturday 28th February from Manchester’s Co-op Live.

Mastercard will continue their long-standing headline sponsorship of The BRITs as it moves into its 29th year. ITV remains the official broadcaster for the 34th year, with the awards airing on ITV, STV, ITVX and STV Player.

These partnerships are vital in supporting and amplifying The BRITs’ vision and values, including fundraising for the awards’ charitable arm, The BRIT Trust, with a core pillar of the Trust the distribution of funds to charities which promote education and wellbeing through music, including The BRIT School and Nordoff and Robbins Music Therapy.