Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig has pledged an extra £2m for the region’s music scene, aimed at improving access to rehearsal and production space, providing practical support, and helping keep music jobs in local communities.

The pledge was announced on Friday 9 October 2026 at Beyond the Music’s Creative Industries AI Summit, according to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. It sits on top of £4m already allocated through GMCA’s Culture Fund earlier this month for music projects ranging from grassroots venues to major institutions, including the Snug in Atherton and the Hallé Orchestra.

GMCA says more than 700 stakeholders helped shape the Greater Manchester Music Plan, which is due to enter the formal approval process in December. Officials put the sector’s footprint at more than 1,100 live music premises across the ten boroughs, over 11,000 jobs, and a wider creative industries contribution of about £1.4bn a year.

Craig said: “Greater Manchester is made of music, and music in Greater Manchester is for everyone. From small venues to world-class institutions, we've got one of the strongest music scenes in the world. Our new plan, backed by £2m investment, is all about creating the conditions for the next generation of artists, businesses, venues and music professionals to succeed.”

She also set out commitments on AI literacy for music professionals and on monitoring how new technology affects employment, income and diversity in the sector. As first reported by the Guardian, Craig told the summit that Greater Manchester’s scene is about more than Oasis and that the funding should help local artists — “guitar band or not” — break through in an industry that is increasingly expensive and London-centric.

Sources: Greater Manchester Combined Authority; the Guardian. This article was produced with the help of AI tools and checked by an editor against the sources above.