Earlier this year, an additional £25.2m was added to Factory International’s budget to allow it to complete its ambitious building work, taking its original estimate from £110m to £210.8m.
Manchester City Council said it could ‘recover a significant proportion of these capital costs through a long-term naming rights agreement’.
And today, insurance company Aviva, the council, and Factory International have announced a long-term partnership that will include naming the arts hub Aviva Studios.
The huge waterfront space, spanning 13,350 sq metre space and using supersized moveable walls to create different performance spaces, is predicted to add £1.1bn to the economy of Manchester over a decade.
It will support up to 1500 direct and indirect jobs and provide training and engagement opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.
EDITORIAL USE ONLY
(Left to Right) Chief Executive of Aviva Amanda Blanc with the Leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig in front of the newly named Aviva Studios which was announced today as part of a new partnership. Picture date: Tuesday June 20, 2023. PA Photo. The new arts venue, which will be the permanent home to Factory International, is located in the St John’s neighbourhood of the city and will host world leading artists and performances when it opens fully in October this year. Photo credit should read: Dilantha Dissanayake/PA Wire
Factory International, now known as Aviva Studios, will officially open in October with Danny Boyle’s large-scale immersive The Matrix-inspired production, Free Your Mind.
The programme and operation of Aviva Studios will still fall to Factory International, who promise a year-round programme of original creative work, music and special events by some of the world’s leading artists.
Aviva says it will work closely with Factory International and Manchester City Council on sustainability and community projects, like skills training programme Factory Academy.
Amanda Blanc, Group Chief Executive Officer, Aviva said: “Aviva is thrilled to be backing this new, world-class arts building in Manchester. It builds on Aviva’s leading role in the UK, serving more than 15 million customers, employing 16,000 people, and investing billions each year into the UK’s regional economy.
“The new Aviva Studios will help make arts and culture more accessible and inclusive and follows the significant investment Aviva Investors has already made in Manchester, such as the development of Enterprise City.”
Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council said: “Aviva Studios, as the home of Factory International, will be a nationally and internationally important cultural attraction in the heart of Manchester.This multi-year, multi-million-pound partnership reflects the magnitude of the venue not just for the city but for the north of England and the UK as a whole.
“This will be a momentous year for the venue as audiences experience its wow factor and enjoy inspiring art in its incredible spaces for the first time. It has undoubtedly been a challenge to create this remarkable building with its unique design against a difficult construction context, including rocketing inflation, without diluting the ambitious vision behind it.
CGIs of inside Factory International. Credit: OMA 10
“The new partnership helps make this possible, as well as supporting Factory International’s ongoing success and work with the community to open up access to the arts and training opportunities. The Council will receive the largest share of funding, supporting our up-front investment in the venue and the wider St John’s neighbourhood, as well as adding social value.
“Aviva has the credentials to be an ideal partner. We are looking forward to collaborating with them on this amazing venue and welcome the expansion of their existing commitment to Manchester.”
John McGrath, Chief Executive & Artistic Director of Factory International, said: “This historic new partnership will provide vital support for the construction and future life of our landmark new home, building on the generous public funding support already pledged to the project.
“Aviva’s values and commitment align with our own and we will also be working together on a range of initiatives, from sustainability to our £10 ticket scheme to ensure that our programme of work is accessible to all. They will also be principal partner on Factory Academy, a programme that is changing the landscape in terms of access to jobs in the creative industries for people from every background.
Factory International. Credit: Pawel Paniczko
“With the city council, we are all committed to strengthening Manchester’s reputation as a nationally and internationally important centre for culture and creativity, as well as bringing jobs, skills, training and creative opportunities for local people and artists.”
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said: “We are delighted at the news of this major support from Aviva to the landmark new home of Factory International, the most significant cultural venue to be built in the UK in recent years. The creative and cultural sector in this country is founded on the relationship between public and private sector investment.
“The newly named Aviva Studios has benefited from very significant public sector investment throughout its development, from HM Government, Manchester City Council and Arts Council England, and we very much welcome the commitment of Aviva to support the venue going forward.”
Featured image: OMA 24
Art & Culture
The first-ever Horrible Histories live concert is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Any fans of childhood favourite Horrible Histories in the house? Well, you might want to pay attention because the iconic kids’ show is bringing its first-ever live concert to Manchester.
The beloved educational comedy by CBBC was, for many of us, the first time we showed a proper interest in history, and we’ll confess, we still go back and comfort-watch it from time to time.
Running from 2009 until 2014, it featured countless funny faces that went on to become stars in the UK comic scene and even spawned a smash-hit live show, which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary.
With that in mind, to help celebrate the milestone, the team behind the cult classic are putting on a special a pretty extensive series of live shows to bring the music of Horrible Histories to domestic audiences, including two right here in Manchester.
Credit: BBC/Supplied
Teaming up with Birmingham Stage Company and Lion Television, the BBC and Horrible Histories crew will soon be playing all the hit songs from the TV programme in the flesh.
Based on the books, CBBC show and the success of the theatre show, this unique music-driven live format is written by the TV series’ writers Ben Ward and Claire Wetton.
Led on stage by the Horrible Histories song master, Richie Webb, himself – who has written all the songs from the smash-hit BBC series – you’re getting the full, authentic experience.
Featuring a live band performing the sensational TV songs, including guest appearances from Charles II, Dick Turpin and a bunch of Vikings that we couldn’t stop barging through the stage door, this is one show you don’t want to miss.
You can find all the 32 ‘Horrible Histories: Live (And Dead)! – The Concert’ UK tour dates down below:
Early 2026
Spring 2026
– Fri 23 January, Darlington Hippodrome – Sat 24 January, Darlington Hippodrome – Fri 30 January, Bristol Beacon – Sat 31 January, Bristol Beacon – Sun 1 February, Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre – Fri 6 February, Manchester Opera House – Sat 7 February, Manchester Opera House – Fri 13 February, Liverpool Empire – Sat 14 February, Liverpool Empire – Tues 17 February London Royal Festival Hall – Fri 20 February, Birmingham Alexandra – Sat 21 February, Birmingham Alexandra – Fri 27 February, Milton Keynes Theatre – Sat 28 February, Milton Keynes Theatre – Sun 1 March, Cambridge Corn Exchange – Sun 8 March, Sheffield City Hall – Fri 13 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre – Sat 14 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre – Sun 15 March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre – Fri 20 March, Glasgow Theatre Royal
– Sat 21 March, Glasgow Theatre Royal – Sun 29 March, Nottingham Concert Hall – Thur 2 April, Southampton Mayflower – Fri 3 April, Southampton Mayflower – Sat 4 April, Southampton Mayflower – Mon 6 April, York Barbican – Tues 7 April, York Barbican – Thur 9 April, Brighton Concert Hall – Fri 10 April, Brighton Concert Hall – Sat 11 April, Brighton Concert Hall – Fri 17 April, Sunderland Empire – Sat 18 April, Sunderland Empire
Coming to the city centre and the storied Manchester Opera House for two evenings early next year, if you’re a fan of the series or the live theatre act, this one has to be on your list.
The whole cast for the tour is yet to be fully confirmed, but you can expect plenty of humour and talent from start to finish.
ATG+ presale has just gone live, and general admission will be available from Friday, 11 July, with prices starting from £18 and school tickets costing just £13.50
Castlefield Viaduct ‘sky park’ receives £2.75m funding towards major extension
Emily Sergeant
The National Trust has today announced an exciting development in the transformation of Manchester’s Castlefield Viaduct.
The New York-inspired elevated urban park on the giant Grade II-listed Victorian viaduct in the heart of the city centre officially opened to the public back in July 2022, and has been an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life ever since… but now, it’s time for the next phase of the journey, and a significant proportion of the funding needed for this project has been secured.
National Highway’s Historical Railways Estate Team, working in partnership with the National Trust has committed £2.4 million to fund a significant part of the structural and foundation work for ‘Phase 2’ of the project.
The funding will go towards increasing the scale of the current ‘sky park’ experience and turning it into a nature-rich through route, including the addition of The WaterAid Garden – a gold medal-winning garden from last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Other supporters and funders are now being urged to donate to cover the remaining amount needed to ‘green up’ the extension.
As it stands, current visitors to the viaduct can walk through a series of spaces and gardens before coming to an untouched and overgrown section of the structure beyond a glass wall, and it’s this untouched section where the Phase 2 transformation will take place to extend the viaduct experience for visitors from 150-metres to more than 350-metres.
The current state of the site at Castlefield Viaduct that’s set to be transformed as part of Phase 2 / Credit: Paul Harris (via National Trust)
Plans include winding paths through planted areas to encourage people to take time out from the busy city below and connect with nature.
A second entry and exit point will also be added to the west side of Mancunian Way via a lift and stairway, turning it into a through route for the very-first time, and making it more accessible for people with limited mobility.
A longer-term masterplan could see the viaduct join up to other areas of the city, increasing access towards Salford and Trafford, and taking the benefits way beyond the physical structure of the viaduct in Castlefield.
The CGIs of how the space on the viaduct will look once it has been transformed / Credit: Twelve Architects (via National Trust)
“This funding is brilliant news for Castlefield – a hugely inspiring project to bring nature and green space to communities across Manchester,” commented Hilary McGrady, who is the Director-General of the National Trust.
“Its popularity over the past few years demonstrates how residents and visitors to the city value access to the outdoors and experiencing nature up-close in an innovative industrial heritage setting.
“This is something we want to continue and do more and more of in the years to come, and that is why this funding is so important.
“Our aim over the next 10 years is to ensure more people have access to nature particularly in our towns and cities, and to bring nature to people’s doorsteps wherever they live.”
Daisy Jackson -
20th June 2023 
