The Creative Cities Convention has announced the first raft of names taking part in this year’s conference in Liverpool.
Among the leading industry figures appearing in the eighth annual event on 6-7 May will be:
- Andrea Arnold, Oscar-winning film-maker,
- BAFTA-winning journalist and filmmaker, Mobeen Azhar, returns as host
- Wayne Garvie, president of international production at Sony Pictures Television
- Executive producer of Liverpool-based crime drama This City Is Ours, Rebecca Hodgson of Left Bank Pictures
- Asif Kapadia, Oscar and BAFTA-winning director of record-breaking docs Senna and Amy
- Legendary Liverpudlian writer Jimmy McGovern, the creative powerhouse behind series such as Cracker, Hillsborough and Time
- Jimmy Mulville, managing director of Hat Trick Productions
- Nicola Shindler, chief executive of leading drama, Quay Street Productions
- Creator and writer of hit BBC drama The Responder, Tony Schumacher
The only event dedicated to professionals making film, TV and digital content outside London, the two-day convention attracts hundreds of delegates to hear from leading broadcasters, producers and creative innovators.
CCC executive director Lisa Campbell said: “Liverpool’s maverick spirit and outward-looking creative scene make it the perfect home for CCC 2026 – and that energy is reflected in our first wave of speakers. They’re bold voices who don’t shy away from challenging the industry and rethinking how audiences are reached.
“With this year’s theme, Where TV Meets Digital, we’ll dig into what disruption and convergence really mean for UK production – from AI and new production technologies to cross-platform storytelling across TV, film, immersive content and shortform.
“We’ll also lean into Liverpool’s UNESCO City of Music pedigree at Camp & Furnace – pairing the conference programme with live music to create a delegate experience that goes beyond the panels.”
The 2026 Creative Cities Convention will be staged at Camp & Furnace, Liverpool’s “foremost live events and music venue”, located in the heart of the Baltic Triangle – a thriving creative and digital hub known for its independent studios, production spaces and innovative businesses.
This year’s theme, Where TV Meets Digital, will explore how traditional storytelling and emerging technologies are converging to shape the future of the UK’s screen industries – with artificial intelligence, new production technologies, and cross-platform storytelling all on the agenda.
Last year’s convention in Bradford coincided with the city’s UK City of Culture celebrations. It featured record delegate numbers, a debut Skills Summit, public screenings, commissioner meetings and a buzzing YouTube Creators Collective networking event.
The Skills Summit will return in Liverpool in 2026, targeting both freelancers and emerging creatives with a programme of practical sessions and workshops led by leading industry names.
The venue for the 2026 Skills Summit is Boxpark, a fully integrated all-day dining and events space located in the historic Canning Hall as part of the Cains Brewery Village in Liverpool’s cultural and creative hub the Baltic Triangle.
Founded in 2018 by media executive Ruth Pitt and John McVay (PACT), the CCC is led by executive director Lisa Campbell, continuing in the role ahead of her newly announced position as BAFTA’s executive director of programmes; advisory chair Ruth Pitt; director of operations Susie Townson; executive producer Sol Papadopoulos; head of partnerships Nina Harrison-Bell and head of Skills Summit Sarah Wood.
It is backed by BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Paramount and PACT.
Previous host cities include Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol and Bradford.
