What Manchester mascot inspired the 2026 Brit Awards trophy design?

The 2026 Brit Awards trophy was inspired by Manchester’s worker bee.

The worker bee is one of Manchester’s best-known civic symbols, associated with the city’s industrial heritage, collective effort and resilience. Matthew Williamson used the emblem as the starting point for a trophy created for the awards’ first ceremony in Manchester.

The finished design used amber-toned resin to resemble golden honey. The Britannia figure stands on a globe, combining the local reference with the idea that British music has a global audience. Williamson described the worker bee and its honey as an immediate way to give the award a genuine Manchester connection.

The symbol is sometimes confused with other Manchester associations, such as the Manchester Ship Canal or the red rose of Lancashire. Those are important parts of the region’s history, but the 2026 trophy’s specific inspiration was the worker bee.