TV Festival to relocate from Edinburgh after 50 years

The event, which will now be known as the TV Festival, is to move to Greater Manchester from 2027 after its board said it had to “balance legacy with future opportunity” and said the move would allow it to “radically reduce” the costs associated with attending the event, as well as the cost of passes.

The Scottish screen sector warned the nation had “lost something significant” and said Scotland needed to ensure it could continue to build on the success o the screen industry.

Part of a UK-wide strategic review into the event’s long-term future, the decision, taken by the Festival’s board of directors, follows an extensive consultation and competitive bidding process which was launched last year.

The board said the review was undertaken in order to examine how the TV Festival could continue to grow “amid increasing challenges around accessibility, affordability and sustainability across the television industry and in response to the growing challenges of rising costs for both organisers and attendees”.

It added that Greater Manchester’s successful and comprehensive bid included commitments around affordability, infrastructure, industry partnership and long-term growth potential.

The festival team paid tribute to Edinburgh, where the festival started in 1976 and where it was established itself as one of the most influential gatherings in television - describing the city and cultural heritage as “embedded within the TV Festival’s heart and soul.”

It also claimed that its commitment to Scotland, its delegates and its production community, remains “active and important”, with a view to maintaining relationships and activity through partnerships, events and editorial collaborations.

Fatima Salaria, chair of the Festival board said: “We launched this review because the questions facing the Festival around affordability, accessibility, sustainability and the changing shape of the industry needed careful and honest consideration.

“This was never a decision about wanting to leave Edinburgh, or about diminishing the extraordinary role Scotland has played in shaping the identity of this Festival for 50 years. Edinburgh gives the Festival a powerful origin story, and we respect that deeply. “But this decision had to balance legacy with future opportunity.”

She added: “The Festival now needs the right conditions, support and momentum for its next chapter; where it could have the strongest chance to grow and serve the widest part of the industry. For the Board, that place was Greater Manchester.”

Claire Mundell, founder, chief executive and creative director of Glasgow-based Synchronicity Films, said Edinburgh TV Festival was “one of the few moments each year” when the UK industry came to Scotland, rather than expecting Scotland to come to it.

She said: “It brought commissioners, broadcasters, producers and international decision-makers together in a way that shone a spotlight on Scottish talent, creativity and ambition, while benefiting enormously from the unique cultural energy of Edinburgh in August.

“Whilst I understand the pressures behind the decision and the need to plan for the future, there is no doubt that Scotland now loses something significant as a result. The challenge now is how we build on the strength of Scotland's screen sector and ensure there remains a platform that brings the industry here, showcases our talent and connects us to the wider global market. The Edinburgh TV Festival was not simply located in Scotland. Its connection to Scotland was part of what made it special.”

Campbell Glennie, chief executive of the TV Festival and The TV Foundation, said: “Greater Manchester presented a vision for the festival that combined genuine creative ambition and future-facing energy with practical accessibility and affordability for delegates. This means we can radically reduce the costs associated with attending the Festival as well as the cost of passes.

“The city reflects the expanding ambition of the UK television industry, while still offering the scale, connectivity and unique cultural identity needed for an event of this significance; it gives us the strongest platform to grow the Festival’s reach and impact in the years ahead.”

The final Edinburgh edition of the TV Festival will take place this August.

Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, and deputy mayor for Economy Business and Inclusive Growth, Greater Manchester, said the relocation was “brilliant news” for Greater Manchester.