Talent factory
Set to cost £ 211 million , Manchester ’ s 13,350 square metre Factory International venue is expected to open in June next year . Its artistic director John McGrath tells Access what its unveiling will mean for event owners
Words : Christopher Barrett
A huge cultural event facility that is expected to host around 80 gigs per year , Factory International is currently taking shape in central Manchester ’ s emerging St John ’ s district – a £ 1 billion development that includes residential and business properties .
The arts and live performance space will include the Warehouse ; a 5,000-capacity industrial-style facility with a technical grid on its ceiling to enable flexible use , ranging from exhibitions to concerts . A moveable 21-metre-tall acoustic wall will enable two events to be staged concurrently in the space .
The venue , which will be programmed and operated by the Manchester International Festival ( MIF ) team , will also feature the flexible 1,600-seat Auditorium . The Auditorium and Warehouse will be made available for simultaneous use , and events activity can also be staged outside the building .
Factory International is set to make its debut during the Manchester International Festival , which is due to run from 29 June to 16 July 2023 . The first major live show in the building will be
Free Your Mind – a large-scale “ immersive performance ” involving dance , music and visual effects based on The Matrix film franchise . The production team includes designer Es Devlin , writer Sabrina Mahfouz , film director Danny Boyle and choreographer Kenrick ‘ H2O ’ Sandy . It is scheduled to run from 18 October to 5 November 2023 . With funding from central Government , Manchester City Council and Arts Council England , Factory International is expected to support around 1,500 jobs and contribute an estimated £ 1.1 billion to the city ’ s economy during its first decade . It is named after infamous independent record label Factory Records , which was founded in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus . The facility was designed by Metropolitan Architecture . Factory International artistic director and CEO John McGrath says accommodating live music has been a key consideration throughout the development process and the reaction from promoters to the plans has been very positive .
“ The venue has been really embraced by national music promoters and those based in Manchester ,” he says . “ There is a gap in the market for a 5,000-capacity standing space in the city . We have much bigger spaces , including the new Co-Op Live arena that ’ s going to open and we ’ ve got a rich and diverse selection of small venues , but not a 5,000-capacity standing space – which for a lot of the most interesting artists is the sweet spot . We ’ ll be announcing a big live music programme in a few months ’ time .”
In the Auditorium , the floor level seats can be removed to expand the capacity from 1,600 to 2,000 . Meanwhile , the Warehouse ’ s
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