Where the future
Comes to Life
Epistopia is Manchester’s bold new festival of music, creativity and future culture. 100+ events. 4 weeks. One connected city. Join us as a founding festival partner.
A new chapter for Manchester's cultural calendar
Manchester has always been a city that does things differently. From the Industrial Revolution to the birth of electronic music, from splitting the atom to isolating graphene — innovation runs in the city’s DNA. Epistopia is the festival that honours that legacy and propels it forward.
"Where technology, art and ideas collide — for four extraordinary weeks."
Not just a Festival but a Movement
Epistopia is built on a simple but radical idea: that the most extraordinary cultural moments happen not in one room, but across an entire landscape. Not a single stage. Not a single city. A living, breathing network of venues, institutions, communities and ideas — connected by a shared belief that music, technology, art and culture are most powerful when they collide.
100+
Events and Experiences
Hundreds of extraordinary events spanning art, music, science and technology.
4 Weeks
Festival Activities
Four weeks of unforgettable programming celebrating everything that moves, inspires and connects us.
10+
Greater Manchester Boroughs
Epistopia activates communities, venues and organisations — a festival that belongs to the whole city.
Partnerships & Sponsorships
Brand Alignment at Scale
Align your brand with a city-wide cultural moment that reaches across Manchester’s diverse communities — from students and tech professionals to families, creatives and international visitors
Thought Leadership Platform
Host conferences, panels, keynotes and workshops under the Epistopia umbrella. Curate conversations that position your organisation at the forefront of your sector.
R&D & Innovation Showcase
Unveil new research, products and ideas to engaged, forward-thinking audiences hungry for what comes next. Epistopia is where tomorrow is announced.
Recruitment & Talent Pipeline
Reach the region’s most talented students, graduates, creatives and professionals in an environment built around curiosity, ambition and collaboration.
Community & CSR Impact
Demonstrate your commitment to Greater Manchester by funding accessible programming, community events and educational experiences that benefit the whole city.
Media & Digital Reach
Benefit from Epistopia’s content, social, PR and digital campaigns. Your brand travels nationally and internationally as the festival story is told.
Networking, Opportunities & Connections
When artists, entrepreneurs, technologists, academics and industry leaders occupy the same space for four weeks, the opportunities are extraordinary. Epistopia is where connections become collaborations and conversations become careers.
Partner with Epistopia
Founding Partner
The most immersive partnership Epistopia offers. Your brand becomes part of the festival itself — present in every city, every venue, every experience and every story we tell, from the first announcement to the final night.- Festival naming rights across all channels
- Full category exclusivity for your brand
- Curated multi-day brand activation zone
- Flagship keynote or conference hosting
- Inclusion in all paid and earned media campaigns
- Co-branded content series across digital and social
- Logo on all festival merchandise and physical assets
- Delegate passes and VIP credentials
- Right of first refusal on future editions
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
Presenting Partner
Your brand at the heart of everything Epistopia creates — across every city, every experience and every extraordinary moment of the festival.- Festival-wide naming integration
- Full category exclusivity for your brand
- Premium brand activation zone
- Multi-day hosted programming rights
- Inclusion in all press releases and media campaigns
- Co-branded social and digital content
- Logo on all festival assets and signage
- Delegate passes and VIP credentials
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
- Bespoke post-festival impact report
Strategic Planner
Align your brand with a specific festival strand — music, technology, arts, science or culture — with deep integration across every event, communication and experience.- Strand naming rights (e.g. "The [Brand] Technology Programme")
- Full category exclusivity for your theme
- Branded activation space within your theme
- Multi-session hosted programme
- Inclusion in all strand press and media activity
- Social and digital content co-creation
- Delegate passes and credentials
- VIP hospitality and guest management
- Audience data and post-festival impact report
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
Institutional Partner
For universities, colleges, research institutes, science centres and cultural institutions. Bring your organisation's expertise, research and audiences into the Epistopia network.- Listed as an Official Institutional Partner
- Host events under your own brand within the festival
- Access to shared ticketing and marketing infrastructure
- Cross-promotion to all festival audiences
- Collaborative programming opportunities
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
- Delegate passes and credentials
- VIP hospitality and guest management
- Connections to wider partner and sponsor network
- Part cash, part in-kind arrangements considered
Media & Communications Partner
For broadcasters, publishers, podcast networks, media organisations and communications agencies. Shape the stories told about Epistopia and reach audiences far beyond the festival itself.- Official Media Partner designation
- Full category exclusivity for your brand
- Co-branded editorial and content partnership
- Broadcast and publishing rights where applicable
- Prominent media credit across all festival communications
- Social and digital content collaboration
- Access to festival talent, speakers and artists
- Delegate passes and press credentials
- VIP hospitality and guest management
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
Industry & Sector Partner
For tech companies, creative agencies, healthcare providers, manufacturers and professional services firms. Showcase your sector's role in shaping tomorrow.- Branded exhibition presence or experience zone
- Partner programming sessions and panels
- Expo floor presence where applicable
- Delegate pass packages for your team
- VIP Hospitality and guest management
- Content collaboration and co-branding
- Networking and matchmaking event access
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
- Post-festival audience summary
Venue Partner
For spaces of every kind across every city. Whether you run a concert hall, a university campus, a community centre or an independent studio — open your doors and become part of the festival network.- Listed as an Official Epistopia Venue
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
- Access to the central event submission platform
- Promotional support for your events
- Eligibility for Epistopia-commissioned programming
- Direct festival leadership access
- VIP hospitality and guest management
- Audience development through festival marketing
- Connection to wider partner and sponsor network
- In-kind contributions considered as part of the arrangement
Community Partner
For grassroots organisations, charities, social enterprises, community groups and civic bodies. Epistopia is built for everyone — and Community Partners are proof of that commitment.- Listed as a Community Partner in the programme
- Host your own event under the Epistopia umbrella
- Access to festival marketing support and templates
- Featured in festival app and website
- Connections to the wider partner network
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
- Delegate pass packages for your team
- VIP hospitality and guest management
- Volunteer and skills-exchange opportunities
In-Kind Partner
Contribute goods, services or expertise in place of a financial commitment. In-kind partnerships are valued, recognised and rewarded at the equivalent cash tier level.- AV, production and technical equipment
- Printing, signage and physical materials
- Digital platforms and software licences
- Volunteer and skills-exchange opportunities
- Featured in festival directory, app and website
- Hotel accommodation for artists and speakers
- Transport and logistics support
- Catering, food and beverage provision
- Legal, financial or professional services
- Photography, film and content production
- Venue provision across any city
We are actively seeking venues of all kinds across Greater Manchester’s ten boroughs. Whether you manage a world-class concert hall or a neighbourhood community space, Epistopia wants to programme in your location. Our goal is for every part of Greater Manchester to have a presence in the festival.
Universities, Colleges & Schools
Open your campus for public events, research showcases, student performances and talks.
Science & Technology Centres
Bring your research, exhibits and expertise into the festival programme as an official partner institution.
Galleries & Museums
Host commissions, exhibitions and events that reach new audiences through the festival network.
Music & Arts Venues
Programme gigs, club nights, live art and immersive experiences within the festival framework.
Libraries & Civic Spaces
Bringing festival events to the heart of local communities across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs.
Maker Spaces & Studios
Showcase your creative and tech spaces with open studios, demos and collaborative workshops.
Let's build Epistopia together
Every Epistopia partnership is built around your goals, your audiences and your requirements
Join Us
