AEV welcomes AO Arena as newest member

The Association of Event Venues (AEV) has, today, announced its newest member is AO Arena Manchester.

Situated in the heart of the city, within the Victoria Station complex, the AO Arena Manchester offers flexible event space with a variety of configurations, break-out rooms and bespoke hospitality areas all under one roof and has been staging some of the best music and live entertainment events in the region for three decades.

AO, the north-west based online electricals retailer, became the Arena's first headline sponsor in 2020 and was voted the City's Most-Loved Event Venue at I Love Manchester Awards, 2025.  The venue attracts over one million visitors each year with a capacity of 23,000.

Gemma Vaughan, general manager, AO Arena Manchester, commented, “We have hosted legends at AO Arena for 30 years, reimagining what an arena experience can be, ensuring the ultimate event emersion for our guests. We are excited to become part of AEV and eager to join other member venues in creating great industry events.”

Alden Arnold, head of commercial and projects, AEV, said, “Our association offers members a platform to share best practice and network with other member venues.  It is fantastic that AO Arena is joining us – I know they will benefit from the collaboration AEV provides through our working groups and annual events, and we are looking forward to learning from their event experiences.”