📍 Venue: SISTER – Renold Building, 32a Altrincham Street, Manchester, M1 7JR
Join the creative and tech community for the official post-symposium social.
How is the creative world reclaiming authorship in the age of AI? Following a full day of deep dives at the AI Social Club Symposium, the conversation moves from the stage to the lounge for this special edition of the Thursday Gathering.
Join us as we host the official Symposium Social. Whether you’ve spent the day at the symposium or you're joining us for your weekly dose of innovation, this is where Manchester’s creative, academic, and tech communities collide. This event brings together filmmakers, founders, and researchers to explore the intersection of technology and human creativity.
We’ll be joined by the teams behind the symposium, including representatives from the BBC GenAI Team, Showrunner, MMU AI Cafe, and Dreamlab, for an evening of facilitated networking and creative exchange.
In Partnership with AI Social Club & The University of Manchester
The AI Social Club (produced by Future Artists) is a Manchester-based initiative dedicated to exploring the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the creative industries. Through symposia, workshops, and collaborations, they provide a platform for artists and tech-innovators to reclaim the narrative around AI and creative authorship.
As a global leader in research and innovation, The University of Manchester supports the AI Social Club Symposium through academic rigour and cross-sector collaboration, ensuring that the development of AI in the city remains ethical, inclusive, and community-driven.
Powered by Advanced Research + Invention Agency
Step into a space where every conversation could spark something new. Enjoy music, refreshments, and a lively atmosphere designed to bring people together, whether you’re exchanging ideas, discovering collaborators, or simply sharing a laugh. This is the perfect moment to unwind, connect, and let serendipity guide your evening.
Introduction from Venture Café.
What does the future of investment in film and high-end TV really look like? This panel explores how capital is shifting towards scalable IP, exceptional talent, and commercially resilient production models. Sarah Foster and Rachel McClelland bring together investor, operator and creative perspectives to examine where value is being created - from regional creative ecosystems and new financing structures to the impact of AI and changing audience economics.
Moving beyond individual projects, the discussion focuses on how platforms, pipelines and communities de-risk investment and drive long-term returns, and introduces Mythos Manchester as a new catalyst for investable, innovation-led storytelling in the North.
Swing by the café for a quick brain-teaser! Can you outsmart an AI? We’ve hidden words inside a series of clever puzzles and it’s up to you to crack them. Spot the patterns, guess the words and see if you can beat the AI at its own game!
This session offers a practical opportunity for founders to practise their pitch and receive constructive, real-time feedback from investors. A number of attendees will be invited to deliver their pitch during the session, giving them the chance to refine their structure, messaging, and delivery in a supportive environment.
All attendees - whether pitching or observing - will gain valuable insight into how investors evaluate a pitch, what they listen for, and the common areas founders are encouraged to strengthen. Observing live pitches helps you understand real investor reactions, recognise effective communication styles, and reflect on how to improve your own approach.
The session also includes a networking section, allowing attendees to share reflections, exchange experiences, and connect with other founders who are preparing for future pitching opportunities.
📍 Venue: SISTER – Renold Building, 32a Altrincham Street, Manchester, M1 7JR
Join the creative and tech community for the official post-symposium social.
How is the creative world reclaiming authorship in the age of AI? Following a full day of deep dives at the AI Social Club Symposium, the conversation moves from the stage to the lounge for this special edition of the Thursday Gathering.
Join us as we host the official Symposium Social. Whether you’ve spent the day at the symposium or you're joining us for your weekly dose of innovation, this is where Manchester’s creative, academic, and tech communities collide. This event brings together filmmakers, founders, and researchers to explore the intersection of technology and human creativity.
We’ll be joined by the teams behind the symposium, including representatives from the BBC GenAI Team, Showrunner, MMU AI Cafe, and Dreamlab, for an evening of facilitated networking and creative exchange.
In Partnership with AI Social Club & The University of Manchester
The AI Social Club (produced by Future Artists) is a Manchester-based initiative dedicated to exploring the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the creative industries. Through symposia, workshops, and collaborations, they provide a platform for artists and tech-innovators to reclaim the narrative around AI and creative authorship.
As a global leader in research and innovation, The University of Manchester supports the AI Social Club Symposium through academic rigour and cross-sector collaboration, ensuring that the development of AI in the city remains ethical, inclusive, and community-driven.
Powered by Advanced Research + Invention Agency
Step into a space where every conversation could spark something new. Enjoy music, refreshments, and a lively atmosphere designed to bring people together, whether you’re exchanging ideas, discovering collaborators, or simply sharing a laugh. This is the perfect moment to unwind, connect, and let serendipity guide your evening.
Introduction from Venture Café.
What does the future of investment in film and high-end TV really look like? This panel explores how capital is shifting towards scalable IP, exceptional talent, and commercially resilient production models. Sarah Foster and Rachel McClelland bring together investor, operator and creative perspectives to examine where value is being created - from regional creative ecosystems and new financing structures to the impact of AI and changing audience economics.
Moving beyond individual projects, the discussion focuses on how platforms, pipelines and communities de-risk investment and drive long-term returns, and introduces Mythos Manchester as a new catalyst for investable, innovation-led storytelling in the North.
Swing by the café for a quick brain-teaser! Can you outsmart an AI? We’ve hidden words inside a series of clever puzzles and it’s up to you to crack them. Spot the patterns, guess the words and see if you can beat the AI at its own game!
This session offers a practical opportunity for founders to practise their pitch and receive constructive, real-time feedback from investors. A number of attendees will be invited to deliver their pitch during the session, giving them the chance to refine their structure, messaging, and delivery in a supportive environment.
All attendees - whether pitching or observing - will gain valuable insight into how investors evaluate a pitch, what they listen for, and the common areas founders are encouraged to strengthen. Observing live pitches helps you understand real investor reactions, recognise effective communication styles, and reflect on how to improve your own approach.
The session also includes a networking section, allowing attendees to share reflections, exchange experiences, and connect with other founders who are preparing for future pitching opportunities.