question: What local government authority, led by Sir Richard Leese, has financially backed an annual event showcasing new writing talent from across the North West?
answer: Manchester City Council
context: Title: Ganjuwa
  Passage: Ganjuwa is a Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria.  It was curved out from the Darazo Local Government in September, 1991 and it’s bordered with Jigawa State from the North and Gombe State from the South East.  The Local Government also shares border with the following Local Governments: - Bauchi Local Government from the South, Toro Local Government from the West, Ningi Local Government from the North West, Darazo Local Government from the North South East and Kirfi Local Government from the East.
  Title: Manchester City Council
  Passage: Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England.  It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester.  The council is controlled by the Labour Party and led by Sir Richard Leese.  Joanne Roney is the chief executive.  Many of the council's staff are based at Manchester Town Hall.
  Title: First Run Film Festival
  Passage: The First Run Festival is an annual event showcasing over 120 intermediate and advanced projects in film, video, and animation.  It is presented by the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television.  and held in New York City.  The event first ran in 1986.  The selection runs a gamut of undergraduate and graduate films ranging between narratives, documentaries and animation produced during the filmmakers' time in the program.  The work is evaluated by a trio of juries: a three-judge Undergraduate Intermediate panel looks at submissions from junior level courses; Graduate and Undergraduate Industry each have six-judge panels.  The selections are then sent toward the respective faculty panels to announce the final top three winners.
  Title: Richard Leese
  Passage: Sir Richard Charles Leese, CBE (born 21 April 1951) is a politician in Manchester, England.  He has been the leader of Manchester City Council since 1996 and a member of the Labour Party since 1984.  On 6 May 2017, Leese was appointed Deputy Mayor for Business and Economy by Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayor, and former Shadow Home Secretary, Andy Burnham.
  Title: 24:7 Theatre Festival
  Passage: The 24:7 Theatre Festival is an annual event in Manchester, United Kingdom, specialising in showcasing new writing talent from across the North West.  It was founded in 2004 by David Slack and Amanda Hennessey, and has continued annually since, with patrons including the actors Robert Powell, John Henshaw, David Fleeshman and Sue Jenkins.  The festival has also attracted financial backing from Arts Council England, Manchester City Council, Manchester Airport and The Co-Operative.
  Title: AIHL All-Star Weekend 2016
  Passage: The Australian Ice Hockey League All-Star Weekend is an annual event showcasing the best talent from the AIHL in skills tests and an exhibition ‘All-Stars’ match.
  Title: Stan-hattan Project
  Passage: The Stan-hattan Project was a writing workshop conducted as a joint venture by Marvel Comics and New York University (NYU)'s Department of Dramatic Writing between 1995 and 1996, whose aim was to develop new writing talent for the comic book publisher and to provide practical training and professional opportunities for students at the university.  The name is a portmanteau of Marvel Comics editor Stan Lee and the Manhattan Project (the World War II program that developed the first atomic bomb).
  Title: Brussels Film Festival
  Passage: The Brussels Film Festival is an annual event showcasing works of European cinema.  It has been held at the Flagey Building in Brussels, Belgium since 2002.
  Title: Commonword
  Passage: Commonword (1977–present) is a writing development organisation based in Manchester, providing opportunities for new and aspiring writers to develop their talent and potential, promoting new writing on a national and international levels.  The organisation was set up in 1977.  It is currently the largest new writing, community writing and publishing organisation in the North West.  It is a limited company and registered charity, and is Arts Council funded.
  Title: AIHL All-Star Weekend
  Passage: The Australian Ice Hockey League All-Star Weekend is an annual event showcasing the best talent from the AIHL in skills tests and an exhibition ‘All-Stars’ match.
citations: 24:7 Theatre Festival Manchester City Council