Tony Wilson Memorial Event - 24 Hour Cultural Debate at Urbis 21st June

Plans have been announced for a 24-hour memorial event to celebrate the life of Mancunian entrepreneur, businessman and creative champion Anthony H Wilson.

An audience of up to two hundred of the most talented and creative young people in the city will take part in the 'Tony Wilson Experience'. The event will run continuously from midday on Saturday 21 June - the longest day - to midday on Sunday 22 June and will be based in same marquee which was used during Manchester International Festival last year and is due to be located adjacent to Urbis throughout summer.

The Tony Wilson Experience will see some of the country's best known and celebrated creative talents brought together to share their experience through a nonstop 24 hour conversation. Major figures who have initially signed to appear include New Order bassist Peter Hook, designer Peter Saville, BBC Radio DJ Mark Radcliffe, actor and comedian Steve Coogan and Hacienda architect Ben Kelly. New participants that decided in late April to join the line-up include broadcaster Stuart Maconie, Control screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh, photographer Kevin Cummins, former Creation Records boss Alan McGee and former Granada TV MD Sue Woodward. Plus, the former New Order members Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris, and music pundit Paul Morley have all joined as of mid-May.

Also set to appear is Peter Saville, the design guru and Creative Director for Manchester who co-founded Factory Records with his long-standing friend and colleague, Tony Wilson.

Peter Saville said: "It seemed obvious to me that Tony was always more than just the sum of his parts - throughout his life and work Tony was a hub  around whom creative people circled.

"If there was a chance to foster new talent he'd take it. If he could fuse several different disciplines together into something brave and new and unexpected, he'd make it happen. He was at all times crucible, catalyst and collector."

"The Tony Wilson Experience will be groundbreaking and absolutely unmissable for anyone out there with a creative talent who is really serious about what they do and is keen to learn from the experienced who are going to be a part of this.   <

"Great things I'm sure will come out of this weekend - not just for the students but for the creatives themselves with experience who are also set to learn not just from each other but from some of the hugely talented and inspiring young people who will be chosen to take part in this."

Funded by Manchester City Council it is hoped that this year's event will form the basis for further activity next year and in future years to help encourage, inspire, teach, and mentor the next generation of creative young people from Manchester and beyond.

Details of the selection procedure for the audience are to be released soon, and those who are not selected will still be able to take part in the event - either by taking advantage of the limited public access or by downloading the event as a podcast.