Programme Design | Creative Direction | Delivery Management
In a first for The BRIT Awards, BRITs Fringe was a landmark programme of engagement delivered across Manchester ahead of The BRIT Awards 2026 – the first time in the ceremony’s history that it moved outside of London, taking place at Co-op Live on 28th February 2026. Created to amplify and extend the impact of The BRITs, BRITs Fringe celebrated 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’, the programme harnessed 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 in collaboration with Manchester Music City and supported by Manchester City Council and GMCA, the programme included FRINGE LAB – a one-day creative music industry forum, mixer and live showcase at New Century Hall on the eve of The BRITs – as well as BRITs Fringe: First Steps, a series of targeted development events for young learners hosted at Band on the Wall, the School of Digital Arts (SODA) and the Royal Northern College of Music. The programme also extended into schools across the city through a collaborative project with Manchester’s music education service.
Yaw conceptualised, designed and oversaw delivery of much of the BRITs Fringe, bringing the same strategic rigour and community-rooted approach that has defined his work across the North – ensuring that one of the UK’s biggest cultural moments left a genuine and lasting legacy for Manchester’s music ecosystem.