BEYOND 2026
Nov 23-25 | MediaCity, Salford, Manchester, UK
Talks * Workshops * Showcases * Networking * Festival Hub
Why attend?
INSPIRING IDEAS
Hear from leading voices working at the edge of culture, research and emerging technology.
HANDS-ON LEARNING
Join practical workshops, labs and demos designed for real-world creative practice.
NEW CONNECTIONS
Meet peers, collaborators and partners – and leave with relationships and ideas that extend beyond the event.
2026 Themes
BEYOND Conference 2026 is shaped around two distinct days — each with its own focus, energy and programme.
EXPERIENCE
Tues 24 Nov
Create, Discover & Innovate
Shared, felt and remembered: at the heart of every creative experience is a human moment. As technology reshapes how culture is made and consumed, BEYOND Conference explores what comes next — across screen, music, live performance, immersive and the wider experience economy.
Screen industries · XR & Immersive · AI & Creative Practice · Gaming · VFX · Live Performance · Music · Emerging Innovators
GROWTH
Weds 25 Nov
Build, Fund & Scale
The creative industries are one of the most dynamic investment frontiers of our time. BEYOND Conference brings together investors, founders, policymakers and cluster leads to explore the funding models, IP frameworks and infrastructure that creative businesses need to grow - and to scale.
CreaTech · Capital Flows · Founder Journeys · Funding Models · Creative Clusters · IP & Copyright · Global Markets · Emerging Innovators
What to expect
BEYOND 2026 launches Festival — a bigger, bolder Fringe, reimagined to complement BEYOND Conference.
TALKS
Insights from leading voices on innovation, strategy and emerging trends across the creative industries.
WORKSHOPS
Practical, hands-on sessions focused on tools, methods and applied R&D for business impact.
SHOWCASES and Expo
Explore an expanded EXPO and new pop-up showcases — pioneering projects, prototypes and partnerships at your fingertips. Find out more
FESTIVAL HUB
A MediaCity base to connect, recharge and collaborate — the social heart of BEYOND 2026.
EMERGING INNOVATORS
Build valuable connections with potential collaborators, funders and industry leaders. Find out more
NETWORKING
Build valuable connections with potential collaborators, funders and industry leaders.
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Connect and collaborate with international peers, partners and pioneers shaping the creative industries across the globe.
BLOG
BEYOND 2026: First Speakers announced!
BEYOND Conference reveals its very first speakers for 2026! Kim-Leigh Pontin is Interactive Experience Creative Lead at Merlin Entertainments, where she leads the creative development of immersive and interactive experiences including LEGOLAND and Minecraft. Ruth...
BEYOND 2026 Themes: Experience. Growth.
Built around two themes, BEYOND Conference convenes those shaping the creative industries to harness the sector's greatest opportunities and tackle its defining challenges: in experience, in growth and in what the creative industries build next. EXPERIENCE...
BEYOND 2026: Super Early Bird Tickets end this month!
BEYOND's Super Early Bird Tickets - our cheapest full-event ticket, covering the conference and related events - finishes at the end of April! Take advantage of this lowest price ticket before the next tier kicks in on May 1st. Head on over the the Ticket Page to...
2026 Conference and Festival Partners
Programme Partner
Festival Partner
Production Partner
.png)
More Information
BEYOND 2025
BEYOND 2024
BEYOND 2023
BEYOND 2022
BEYOND 2021
BEYOND 2020
BEYOND 2019
BEYOND 2018
About
Press & Media
Archive
Sustainibility
Contact
Be the first to know
More details about BEYOND including programme, tickets, showcasing and speaking opportunities. Sign up for updates below and be the first to find out.
Founding partner
Powered by
© 2017 - 2026 BEYOND Conference Limited. All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Code of Conduct