The TV Festival announces Manchester venues and dates

The TV Festival, formerly known as the Edinburgh TV Festival, has revealed the dates and venues for its relocation to Manchester. The event will transition from its long-standing home in Edinburgh, where it has been held since 1976, to the northern English city to improve accessibility and manage rising accommodation costs associated with the Edinburgh Fringe.

The inaugural Manchester edition is scheduled to run for four days from Tuesday, August 31 to Friday, September 3, 2027. This represents a one-week shift later in the calendar compared to its traditional August schedule. The festival will be hosted at Versa Studios Manchester, located on the former Granada Studios site, and Aviva Studios, the home of Factory International.

Wayne Garvie, president of international production at Sony Pictures Television, will serve as the advisory chair for the 2027 event. Festival CEO Campbell Glennie stated that the move to Greater Manchester provides the potential to expand the programme through evening sessions, new creative partnerships, and public-facing screenings.