Factory International Opening Season

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Book now

Factory International Opening Season

Aviva Studios, Manchester
30 June-19 November 2023

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Factory International Opening Season
Image courtesy of Factory International.
Book now

2023 is set to be a bumper year for art and culture in Manchester. This year brings the next edition of Manchester International Festival (29 June – 16 July) alongside many exciting new cultural openings across the city – the most notable, of course, being the imminent arrival of Factory International. We’re thrilled that this brand-new landmark space is set to welcome its first visitors from June and there’s loads to look forward to. Prepare to fill that crisp new diary as we preview the Factory International Opening Season.

You, Me and the Balloons
Yayoi Kusama and Dots Obsession, 1996-2011 Installation (Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo). Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.

This brand-new landmark space is set to welcome its first visitors from June.

Factory International throws open its doors and kicks off a tremendous year-round programme with a major exhibition. The striking centrepiece of the 2023 edition of Manchester International Festival, You, Me and the Balloons celebrates three decades of Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama’s striking inflatable sculptures. Hypnotic and truly spectacular, Kusama’s psychedelic larger-than-life creations are the perfect pairing for the new venue’s vast warehouse space. Tickets are already on sale for You, Me and the Balloons. Meanwhile, the full MIF23 programme will be announced in spring, with priority booking for Factory International Members.

Following on from MIF23 in the summer, the official opening show for Factory International happens in the autumn. Free Your Mind is an unmissable dance adaptation of the classic sci-fi film The Matrix. Crafted and performed for Manchester, this world premiere production has been created by a top-notch team with direction from Danny Boyle. The performance will meld together Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy’s mesmerising hip-hop choreography and Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante’s explosive musical score (both artists are co-founders and artistic directors of the Olivier-award winning Boy Blue) with eye-popping stage sculptures by British set designer Es Devlin and spoken word by the acclaimed playwright and poet Sabrina Mahfouz.

Free Your Mind at Factory International.
Free Your Mind at Factory International. Image courtesy of North Design.

Later in the autumn Factory International will host The Welcome, a huge nine-day house-warming celebration to mark the opening of the venue. The Welcome will bring a vibrant variety of art to the building – expect everything from music, circus and fashion to exhibitions and food. Perhaps most impressively, The Welcome has been developed in collaboration with the ‘Factory Assembly’, a group of local residents who have taken the lead on the project. Developed by Manchester for Manchester, Factory International is about meeting people, having fun and sharing cultural experiences together.

Factory International is about meeting people, having fun and sharing cultural experiences together.

To keep bang-up-to-date on all of these shows and much more – be sure to sign up to Factory International’s newsletter. It’s a free subscription and you’ll be among the first to hear about new events and exclusive ticket offers. Additionally, you can become a member of Factory International too; membership gives you access to priority booking, members-only events, exclusive digital content and a members-only e-newsletter. Membership is just £36 at the moment and you’ll receive a special welcome gift when you sign up.

What's on at Aviva Studios

FestivalsCity Centre
MIF25: Festival Square

Festival Square is the beating heart of Manchester International Festival 2025, returning to its riverside location once again.

Free entry

Where to go near Factory International Opening Season

Castlefield
Event venue
Old Granada Studios

Manchester’s old Granada Studios is an iconic piece of the city’s history and home to Sidney Bernstein’s television empire.

Castlefield
Restaurant
The Loft Manchester

Smart event space in the building previously occupied by Walkabout, and now host to all manner of exciting one-off happenings

Manchester Opera House by Phil Tragen
City Centre
Theatre
Manchester Opera House

A commercial touring theatre, the Manchester Opera House is reopening in August 2021, all set to host the city’s finest mainstream theatrical productions, music gigs, opera and ballet.

City Centre
Music venue
Low Four Studio

Old Granada Studios has announced Low Four: a new studio and music project that will stream and archive live music performance as part of a new generation of music TV programming. The inclusion of a viewing balcony also means that these recordings, along with special events and concerts, will be made open to a few […]

Manchester
Restaurant
20 Stories

High-end restaurant and cocktail bar, with stunning views of the Manchester skyline.

Manchester
Gallery
Smolensky Gallery

This appointment-only gallery is a hidden gem in Manchester. Art lovers and collectors can browse many high quality pieces.

What's on: Theatre

Myra's Story at Lowry
TheatreSalford
Myra’s Story at Lowry

Direct from London’s West End, a critically acclaimed play shining a light on homelessness, addiction and resilience through one woman’s unforgettable story.  

From £28.50
Static at Unity Theatre.
TheatreCity Centre
Static at Unity Theatre

Fiercely personal, Elaine Collins’ new semi-autobiographical solo show about memories, misfits and the messy side of showbiz is a must-see this May.

From £12.00
The Same Deep Water as You at PINK
ExhibitionsStockport
The Same Deep Water as You at PINK

Get involved in this artistic and ambitious takeover of PINK’s three-storey venue, weaving together live performance, video, sculpture and sound.

Free entry
TESS at HOME: A woman holds four planks over her head, watched on by three women.
DanceManchester
Tess at HOME

A bold, breathtaking fusion of circus and storytelling, Ockham’s Razor transform Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles into a visceral, visually stunning spectacle.

From £21.20
Piece of Work at The Edge
TheatreChorlton
Piece of Work at The Edge

James Rowland’s acclaimed one-man show is a witty and quietly moving story about identity, friendship and finding your place in the world.

From £16.00

Culture Guides

Three men sit next to each other. One's head is bandaged, one holds a torch and one wears a sleepmask.
Cinema in the North

Live scores, midnight movies and the latest from Wes Anderson are just some of our upcoming film highlights.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.

Isabel Galleymore in conversation
Literature Events in the North

There's a lot of experimentation going on in our Literature guide, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

Experience a unique deep listening art installation inviting audiences to lay down and be bathed in sound and light.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.