BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is to permanently move to Manchester starting this year, the city where the event was first held in 2014.

The digital radio station’s flagship event will take place from 24–26 March and will see global premieres of new live shows, music debuts, collaborations and guests.

The event will take place each night at the O2 Victoria Warehouse Manchester (3,500). There will also be club nights at Band on the Wall (500) and Victoria Warehouse, themed around 6 Music’s Indie Forever and Rave Forever shows and a Morning After Mix live broadcast on the Sunday at RAMONA.

Live performances will come from Loyle Carner – featuring a new collaboration with the AMC Gospel Choir from Manchester, Christine and the Queens and Arlo Parks. Further performances will come from Wu-Lu, Lava La Rue and The Big Moon.

Head of BBC Radio 6 Music Samantha Moy said, “6 Music will be rooted in Salford over time, so we’re bringing the festival back home to Greater Manchester, where it all began, with some incredible performances. You may have seen Arlo Parks, Christine and the Queens and Loyle Carner before, but you won’t have seen them like this before. It promises to be a very special weekend indeed.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said, “There is a rich musical heritage in Greater Manchester, and a real pride in the independent music scene, and as BBC Radio 6 Music has always supported new and alternative artists, it’s a perfect fit for the festival to have its permanent home in the city for the years to come. There’s so much new Greater Manchester music out there right now that deserves to be heard, which is why we started Artist of the Month with BBC Radio Manchester, and like BBC Radio 6 Music, we want to give emerging talent a platform.”

There will also be DJ sets across the weekend from AFRODEUTSCHE, Erol Alkan, Daniel Avery, Don Letts, Good Future, Hot Chip, Jamz Supernova, Steve Lamacq, Tarzsa, The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess, Yard Act and BBC Introducing DJs, Emily Pilbeam and Phoebe I-H.

Highlights from the festival will be broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio Manchester from MediaCityUK in Salford, as well as on BBC Sounds, BBC Four, BBC iPlayer and BBC Music’s YouTube channel.