Spotify revealed as headline sponsor for Pods Up North

‘Pods Up North’, a Manchester startup event, has secured one of the biggest names in digital media - Spotify - as its headline sponsor. The event in Manchester city centre, on November 23rd, is a one-day conference to give podcasters the opportunity to meet and learn from audio industry experts and award-winning podcasts.

Pods Up North is the first event of its kind to be held outside London and Spotify’s support reflects the growing importance of podcasts in its ambitions. Having established itself as the number one music platform in the UK, Spotify has quickly become a major platform for all kinds of audio including podcasts. Spotify is not only driving listeners to discover podcasts for the first time, but is also supporting creators at all levels. To do so it is taking the learnings in areas like discovery and artist empowerment from its success in growing the music business and applying them to podcasts.

James Cator, Head of Podcast Partnerships, EMEA, Spotify, said: "Pods Up North promises to be a great event and we’re thrilled to be supporting as the headline sponsor. One of the biggest things for us now at Spotify is the transition from a music service into the world’s first true audio network – and podcasts is a key part of that. It’s a growing space we can really tap into to give listeners in the UK more of what they want to hear, and to help be part of an exciting, growing talent space in the UK. It’s also a real opportunity to be able to create a community of truly diverse voices and views, so it’s hugely important to us that we support creators across the country, including in the North.”

Pods Up North will include workshops, discussions, talks and networking opportunities for podcasters of all levels. They’ll learn the latest techniques and get advice to help them to create great podcasts, including how to book guests, conducting interviews and technical advice.

In addition to speakers from Spotify, Pods Up North has secured big-name speakers from the podcast world, and guest appearances from award-winning podcasts including TV star Craig Parkinson from Two Shot Pod, A Gay and A Non-Gay, and The Naked Podcast. They’ll also be industry names including the Controller of BBC Sounds Jonathan Wall, Managing Director of Social Chain UK Katy Leeson, and co-creator of the British Podcast Awards Matt Deegan.

Pods Up North will be held in the city’s eco tech hub The Federation and is staged during the annual Manchester Podcast Festival. The Festival, now in its second year brings the best podcasts in the UK to live audiences in Manchester, including hit podcasts such as ‘The Guilty Feminist’, Richard Herring’s ‘RHLSTP’ and Dan Snow’s ‘History Hit’.

Pods Up North is the brainchild of Manchester-based podcasters and audio experts Kate Cocker, Vic Turnbull and Ant McGinley. They explain why they decided to launch the event,

“We started Pods Up North to support and celebrate the incredible podcast talent coming out of the North. Events like this have been ‘South-centric’ so far. We’ve designed Pods Up North for Podcasters of all levels, from those thinking about podcasting, to podcasters who are looking to take their craft to the next level. There is so much podcasting talent in the north - at the moment people have found their own way, so we’re excited to bring people together at Pods Up North, share knowledge and help the podcasting community grow!”

Tickets for the event and can be purchased online through Eventbrite by clicking here

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Editor Notes

Pods Up North Date: Saturday 23rd November 2019 Time: 0900 - 1800 Venue: The Federation, 2 Federation Street, M4 4BF Tickets available online here http://bit.ly/podsun19 For further quotes, images or interview requests please contact Vic@VicElizabeth.com / 07989 444 184

About
Pods Up North is a one day event to celebrate, educate and support podcast makers. The first event of it’s kind up North, bringing together the podcast community for a day packed-full of panel discussions, workshops and talks.

Team PUN Pods Up North is brought to you by audio geeks and podcast / radio experts,

• Kate Cocker voice of one of Amazon’s Top Ten Flash Briefings “ Everyday Positivity”, with over twenty years experience across the audio sector, @k8cocker

• Vic Turnbull - runs MIC Media, a podcast social enterprise and podcaster meet up with over two hundred members @silentvic

• Ant McGinley, - produces Manchester based shows On The Left Side and Mondeo Law, and recently spoke at Podcast Movement in Florida, the world’s biggest podcast convention. [@antmcginley

  ](https://twitter.com/antmcginley)

Confirmed Speakers

Jonathan Wall, Controller - BBC Sounds

Craig Parkinson, Presenter - Two Shot Pod

Natalie Silverman, Presenter - Fertility Podcast

Colin Gray, founder, host - Alitu / The Podcast Host

Matt Deegan, Founder - Folder Media

Katy Leeson & Doddz, Managing Director - Social Chain
Amy Woods, Founder & Host - Content x10
Kieran McKeefery, cofounder, CTO - Rebel Base Media

Mike Newman - Head of UK Content & Partnerships, Audio Boom
Cllr Luthfur Rahman - Lead for Culture, Manchester City Council
Dan Hudson - Presenter, Gay and Non Gay Podcast

Jenny Eells & Kat Harbourn - Presenters, The Naked Podcast

Mike Cunsalo - CMO, Podcast.co
Jim Salveson - On The Left Side podcast, XS Manchester

Adam Catterall - Presenter, Fight Disciples Podcast

Claire Freeman - Founder ASFB Productions

Melanie Harris - Director of Sparklab Productions

Emma Goswell - Presenter, Coming Out Stories, Gaydio

About Spotify

Spotify transformed music listening forever when it launched in Sweden in 2008. Discover, manage and share over 50m tracks for free, or upgrade to Spotify Premium to access exclusive features including offline mode, improved sound quality, Spotify Connect and ad-free listening.

Today, Spotify is the most popular global audio streaming subscription service with 232m users, including 108m subscribers, across 79 markets. We are the largest driver of revenue to the music business today.

About Federation

In 2016, Co-op revitalised the Federation into a space for local businesses who share its ethical values, welcoming local entrepreneurs, social innovators, digital businesses and start-ups, providing them with a co-working space, meeting rooms, event space, a podcasting studio, a coffee shop and a good dose of Northern values. Today there are over 65 forward thinking organisations who call this eight-storey building home.