A full day web and digital festival will return to Sheffield for a second time as the city’s tech sector continues to grow at a remarkable rate.
Front End North’s second conference took place last year in Sheffield attracting 200 people and 14 speakers. It moved to Sheffield following its inaugural year in Manchester.
Conference organisers Make Do, a specialist WordPress agency with offices across Yorkshire, say last year’s event at Sheffield City Hall was so well received they’ve decided to make it a bi-annual affair.
The next Front End North conference takes place on January 19 at Sheffield City Hall and will include top speakers from a range of industries. TED-style “lightning talks” will take place throughout the day and the full speaker line up will be announced in autumn.
Kimb Jones, managing director at Make Do and organiser of Front End North, said: “The north of England, and particularly Sheffield, has a rapidly growing digital economy. Front End North was set up to help the web and digital community in the North of England to thrive. It’s all about collaboration and that’s something we’re seeing a lot of in Sheffield. It’s a very exciting time to be working in tech.
“We want to build links with other northern cities and drive greater collaboration. We’re hopeful that Front End North will connect the dots and get the digital and tech sector focused on the opportunities that are available.
“Conferences can be a powerful driver for collaboration and economic growth and it would be excellent to see the region embrace Front End North and use it as a vehicle to show the rest of the UK what we’re achieving.”
Mel Kanarek, Director and Co-founder of Sheffield Digital, added, “It’s great to see Front End North happening again in Sheffield. Having a thriving tech conference in the city not only provides excellent resources for the people working here, but also attracts visitors from elsewhere.
“A conference of the calibre of Front End North says that Sheffield is well and truly a growing destination for digital professionals and businesses.”
