Manchester Central is preparing to install a self-contained production studio at the leading conference and events venue.

Set to be the first of its kind in the heart of the city centre, Studio at Manchester Central will offer TV broadcast-quality production facilities to help businesses professionally communicate to and engage their audiences virtually, or as an enhanced hybrid component to a live event. Delivered with Sterling Event Group, Studio will feature a fully integrated set with customisable LED backdrops, lighting, full audio and vision equipment and an expert crew to create professional and engaging output.

The venue’s unrivalled internet connectivity – the result of a stand-alone fibre network that ensures no interruption of service and guaranteed speeds of 10,000Mbps – means that content can be live-streamed to thousands or recorded and edited for future distribution.

Housed within the Cobden Rooms and accessible via its own dedicated entrance, Studio can be used entirely standalone, or integrated into a live event footprint. Green room and dressing room space is provided for presenters, as well as a full catering and hospitality offer; all managed in accordance with COVID-Secure guidelines.

 Hair and make-up support can be pre-booked, along with TV presenter coaching delivered by Manchester Actor’s Platform (the education arm of 53two) for anyone looking to hone their presenter skills.

Shaun Hinds, Chief Executive at Manchester Central said: “We’re incredibly excited to launch Studio at Manchester Central. Following the launch of our ‘Live from the Auditorium’ hybrid solution last year, we believe that there will be a place for professional, virtual content creation and production as we move towards the new era of events.

 The Government’s roadmap to recovery set out earlier this week is a real positive step forward and we can’t wait to be ‘back in the room’ again. We have an opportunity now to take what we’ve learned from the world of virtual communications over the past year and apply it to the live event format, as well as wider business engagement strategies.

 When done well, we’ve seen how technologies can grow reach and brand exposure exponentially and by integrating this component into event and engagement programmes, we can create immersive and curated content for audiences, wherever they are. Studio is the perfect platform from which to do that.”

Richard Bowden, Managing Director at Sterling Event Group adds: “We anticipate that virtual events will become a permanent feature in the calendars of many organisations, and we are delighted to be working with the team at Manchester Central to bring a high-specification facility to the heart of the city. Studio will be fully equipped to deliver live and pre-recorded virtual content as a standalone event, or to extend the reach and add a digital element to a live event when restrictions permit.”

For more information about Studio at Manchester Central and to pre-book, visit www.manchestercentral.co.uk/Studio or contact the team on Studio@manchestercentral.co.uk

Manchester Central and Sterling Event Group have teamed up to launch “Live from the Auditorium”, a virtual event solution that provides an interactive live streaming experience from a professional studio setting.

Unique to the city centre and housed within Manchester Central’s purpose-built 800-seat Auditorium, a self-contained event space within the venue’s Exchange Suite, the solution is designed to facilitate a virtual or hybrid event.

The venue’s COVID-secure space allows businesses to host a small live audience at the venue, in line with current Government restrictions, whilst streaming professional, broadcast-quality content in real-time; engaging, entertaining and communicating with audiences wherever they are across the globe. Alternatively, content can be pre-recorded ready for broadcast at a later date.

The live studio experience is supported by Manchester Central’s experienced in-house events team and the expert production crew at Sterling Event Group, who will be on hand to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely from beginning to end.

Shaun Hinds, Chief Executive at Manchester Central said: “We’re really excited about the launch of our new “Live from the Auditorium” experience. During these extraordinary times, we believe it is even more vital for businesses to continue to communicate and engage with employees, customers and peers, and this experience offers them the opportunity to do just that from a ‘live’ studio setting, creating a fun, slick and professional virtual experience.

“The studio package includes sound, lighting, screens and live camera systems, all operated by a dedicated events and production team, providing clients with the reassurance that their live broadcast will be of the highest quality, will be engaging and will run smoothly from start to finish – eliminating the risk of technical difficulties that are, more often than not, experienced during video calls!

“It’s the perfect way to bring people together to learn and do business in a time when, unfortunately, the events we know and love can’t take place.

“We’re delighted to offer an alternative solution at a time when live event capacities are limited, and we’re confident that this virtual solution will be a great addition to our live event services going forward.”

Richard Bowden, Managing Director at Sterling Event Group said: “We are delighted to partner with Manchester Central to offer a turnkey solution that enables event organisers the opportunity to deliver slick and engaging virtual or hybrid events.

“The purpose-built auditorium offers immense flexibility from a production perspective allowing us to facilitate a wide range of presentation styles and set designs.”

For more information about this experience at Manchester Central and how the live broadcast solution can integrate with your existing virtual platforms, please visit www.manchestercentral.co.uk/live-auditorium or click here.