A world class city with a village vibe
Manchester is one of the most exciting places in the world to be right now. Famous for blending a pioneering historical past with a forward-thinking vision of innovation and creativity, it’s the city’s cultural offer and appeal for new and growing businesses that is now putting Manchester on the international map.
Featured on all the must-visit lists – like the New York Times 50 Places to Go in 2024 and National Geographic’s coveted Best of the World – Manchester boasts an endless range of opportunities to keep your social diary full every day of the week.

Culture
For artists and art lovers, theatre go-ers and families, there’s the recently opened Aviva Studios, home to Factory International. This is the place for international premieres, interactive and immersive experiences and everything in between. There’s a thriving grass roots scene too thanks to places like The Horsfall – a crowdfunded gallery and creative space on Great Ancoats Street.

Music
The Hacienda days may have passed but music is still the lifeblood of the city. While Co-op Live, the AO Arena and the big stadiums are bringing the big names and global tours to Manchester, venues like New Century and Band on the Wall continue to showcase the eclectic and up and coming talent that’s fuelling the sounds of the future.

Sport
Football has kept the city on the sporting world stage for years, with two of the iconic big clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City, in residence. But there’s a host of other sporting passions on offer for fans. Emirates Old Trafford is home to some of the biggest cricket events in the game whilst The Velodrome at the National Cycling Centre was Britain’s first indoor Olympic track.

A place for business
If you are a business looking to start up, grow and succeed, no matter what stage of your journey, there is a hugely supportive ecosystem backed by a growth focused City Council here in Manchester.
For start-ups and global giants alike – Amazon chose here for their first UK HQ outside of London – the tech revolution is driving a £5bn digital ecosystem in Manchester, officially making it the UK’s Top Digital Tech City.
Greater Manchester is proud to have some of the best Universities in the UK. Manchester is the second most popular city for new graduates after London according to the Centre for Cities, and boasts one of the highest retention rates of students, with more than half (51%) choosing to stay after they graduate. This delivers a pipeline of talent for new businesses, where the quality of life, opportunity and liveability continues to make Manchester the city of choice for business growth and success.
