Media, creative and culture NW

The Media, Creative and Cultural sectors are particularly significant in Manchester and the North West. The total Gross Value Added (GVA) in the region for the creative and cultural industries, which includes sport, is estimated to be £1.64 billion. The Manchester city region has the largest concentration of people working in creative industries outside London - 12% of the total Manchester city region employment figures - 46,000 jobs.

The following are useful for keeping up to date with developments networking and jobs.

• Skillset North West: Skills and training for animation, computer games, corporate and commercials, film, interactive media, photo imaging, publishing, radio and  TV.
• North West Nations and Regions pages of the CCS website
• North West Vision and Media for information funding and careers advice for the creative and digital industries in the region.

For more information, links and job opportunities visit the media, creative and cultural services sector pages.

Broadcasting is represented by the BBC, Granada/ITV and commercial radio stations such as Galaxy, Key 103, Xfm, Rock Radio, Magic, Gold, Real and Smooth FM. While the amount of regional programming from Granada/ITV has reduced in recent years, the BBC's presence in the region is set to grow significantly with the move of several departments - children's, sport, new media, Five Live and research and development - from London to Media City, Salford by 2011. Approximately 1500 jobs will move from the BBC in London to Salford. Around 800 staff currently working at the BBC in Manchester will also be moving there. It is expected that Media City will become a creative hub attracting independent production companies and other media providers. See our Journalism and Broadcasting Guide for where to apply for jobs.

For support , blogs and information for emerging film makers check out the Northern Film Network.

The digital media sector already has a strong presence in the region, and it is likely that the BBC's transfer of its new media departments to Salford will attract more digital businesses to the area. The trade organisation Manchester Digital has an online directory of its members, digital businesses, which is useful for researching organisations. There is also a thriving networking group, SMC_MCR (formerly Manchester Social Media Café), which comprises people working in digital and social media who generally meet monthly for networking and presentations of new media technologies.

The Manchester Evening News is one of the UK's biggest regional newspapers in terms of readership and is owned by the Guardian Media Group. MEN media publishes more than 20 paid-for and free weekly newspapers across the Greater Manchester area including South Manchester Reporter and the Stockport Express. The publishing sector also includes Manchester University Press, Prospects, Ten Alps Publishing, Carcanet and the Wordsworth Trust in Cumbria.

• The University of Manchester's centre for new writing offers postgraduate courses for creative and contemporary writing. For information on finding postgraduate and short courses use our funding and study section.
• BBC Writers Room North  - provides information on submitting scripts as well as competitions, workshops etc.
• Contact Theatre - call 0161 274 0623 to ask about initiatives for new writers
• Panshine press - information on resources for Manchester writers
• Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester -for information on new writing workshops and opportunities.

The number of festivals in Manchester has grown in recent years. The second Manchester International Festival took place in the summer of 2009 and made the headlines with events such as Elbow and the Halle at the Bridgewater Hall and a host of theatre, visual art and music productions. It was complemented by a fringe festival, "Not Part Of". Other key Manchester events include the annual music festival, In the City, and the Manchester Comedy Festival. Details of festivals are on the Manchester Evening News website.

In Liverpool, there are plans to build on the cultural activity generated by its status as Capital of Culture 2008.

Manchester's lively community arts scene continues to thrive. Look out for events at the Zion Arts Centre and Contact Theatre. Community radio is represented by Radio Regen and radio stations, All FM and Wythenshawe Fm.  

Theatres and concert venues include The Royal Exchange, Palace Theatre, The Library Theatre, Contact Theatre, Martin Harris Centre, The Lowry, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Apollo and MEN Arena.

Major museums and galleries in Greater Manchester include the Manchester Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, Imperial War Museum, The People's History Museum, and Urbis. The 24 hour museum website  also lists some of the smaller but nevertheless significant museums.

Opportunities for information, library, and archive professionals are available in both traditional settings such as university and public libraries but also in business and healthcare libraries and special collections such as John Rylands Deansgate, the North West Film Archive and the Manchester Archive and local studies centre. 

For those considering entry into the profession work experience is valuable, part time, voluntary or unqualified positions may be available but are not always advertised widely. Check city council and the companies own recruitment website and local papers for opportunities, a speculative approach expecially to smaller organisations may be a route in. Liverpool John Moores and MMU both offer undergraduate and postgraduate qualification routes.