Manchester International Festival: Complete Guide to MIF & Factory International (2026)

The Manchester International Festival is the world’s first arts festival dedicated entirely to commissioning new work. Founded in 2007 by Alex Poots and Manchester City Council, MIF has spent eighteen years premiering original commissions across theatre, dance, music, visual art and digital art — Björk’s Biophilia, Marina Abramović with Antony Hegarty, Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man, Wayne McGregor and Jamie xx’s Tree of Codes, Yoko Ono’s Bells for Peace, Cillian Murphy in Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, Yayoi Kusama’s largest UK exhibition. In 2025 (theme: “Dream Differently”) the festival expanded for the first time to Rochdale and Wigan. In 2023 it gained its first permanent home — the £186m Aviva Studios on Water Street, designed by OMA’s Ellen van Loon — which is now used year-round by Factory International (MIF’s parent organisation). The next biennial edition is MIF 2027; firm dates expected to be announced in late 2026.

This is the 2026 guide to the Manchester International Festival — what it is, the history, Aviva Studios as the year-round venue, the best past commissions to know, what’s expected for 2027, year-round Factory International programming, and how to book tickets and become a Member. For the wider arts and culture context see our museums and culture pillar.

Manchester International Festival at a glance

• Founded: 2007 by Alex Poots; the world’s first festival dedicated to commissioning new work
• Format: Biennial 18-day festival, plus year-round programming at Aviva Studios
• Recent edition: MIF 2025 — 3–20 July 2025, theme “Dream Differently”; 325,000 attendance in 2023
• Next edition: MIF 2027 — expected July 2027, firm dates announced late 2026
• Home venue: Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ
• Operator: Factory International (rebranded from MIF in 2022)
• Artistic Director / CEO: John McGrath (since September 2015; founding AD Alex Poots)
• Tickets: typically £15–£100+; £10 access scheme for low-income locals; many free events

What is the Manchester International Festival?

MIF is a biennial 18-day arts festival held in odd years (2007, 2009, 2011, etc.), distinguished from every other major arts festival in two ways. First, every show is a world premiere: MIF doesn’t book existing productions — it commissions new work, often co-produced with international partners. Second, the format spans the full arts spectrum: theatre, dance, music (both classical and pop/electronic), visual art, digital art, comedy, talks, public processions, immersive theatre, plus large-scale outdoor commissions.

Audiences travel internationally for MIF in a way that’s only true of a handful of UK festivals (Edinburgh International, Avignon). The New York Times has called Manchester “a 21st-century city” partly because of MIF. The work that premieres here often tours globally — Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man, Marina Abramović’s 7 Deaths of Maria Callas and Yayoi Kusama’s You, Me and the Balloons all began life at MIF.

A brief history: from 2007 to today

2007 — the inaugural edition

MIF launched 28 June – 15 July 2007 with Monkey: Journey to the West, a Damon Albarn / Jamie Hewlett / Chen Shi-Zheng opera based on the 16th-century Chinese epic. Alex Poots founded the festival with backing from Manchester City Council, premised on the idea that the world needed a festival dedicated entirely to new commissions — not the existing programme circuit. Critics were sceptical; the inaugural edition sold out.

2009–2015 — establishing the model

Each edition added world-firsts: 2009 a Zaha Hadid pavilion for Bach; 2011 Björk’s Biophilia world premiere, Punchdrunk’s The Crash of the Elysium, Marina Abramović with Antony Hegarty; 2013 Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston in a Macbeth staged inside a deconsecrated church, Maxine Peake performing Shelley’s Masque of Anarchy, Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man (which transferred to London); 2015 Wayne McGregor / Jamie xx / Olafur Eliasson’s Tree of Codes.

2017–2019 — international stature

By the late 2010s MIF was unambiguously one of Europe’s most ambitious festivals. 2017: Boris Charmatz’s 10000 Gestures; Available Light (John Adams / Lucinda Childs / Frank Gehry); Laurie Anderson; the groundbreaking ceremony for what would become Aviva Studios. 2019: Yoko Ono’s Bells for Peace; Skepta’s DYSTOPIA987; Janelle Monáe; Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s Atmospheric Memory; Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah’s Tree.

2021 — post-pandemic

The pandemic edition: Cillian Murphy in Grief Is the Thing with Feathers; Boris Charmatz’s crowd-sourced work; Deborah Warner’s Arcadia staged inside the Factory construction site; Marta Minujín.

2022 — the Factory International rebrand

MIF’s parent organisation rebranded as Factory International in September 2022, in preparation for the year-round opening of Aviva Studios the following year.

2023 — Aviva Studios opens

MIF 2023 was the first edition to use the new Aviva Studios as its main venue. Yayoi Kusama: You, Me and the Balloons (30 June–28 August 2023) was the largest Kusama exhibition ever staged. Marina Abramović’s 7 Deaths of Maria Callas ran in the same building. Aviva Studios officially opened on 18 October 2023 with Free Your Mind — Danny Boyle, Es Devlin, Kenrick “H2O” Sandy, Mikey J Asante and Sabrina Mahfouz’s Matrix-inspired theatre/dance spectacular.

2025 — Dream Differently

MIF 2025 ran 3–20 July 2025 with the theme “Dream Differently”. The headline commission was THE HERDS — a climate-themed street puppetry of life-sized animals processing through Manchester and, for the first time in MIF history, expanding into Rochdale and Wigan as part of a wider Greater Manchester programme. Other 2025 highlights included Santiago Yahuarcani: The Beginning of Knowledge at the Whitworth (running through to 4 January 2026), Football City, Art United (conceived by Juan Mata, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Josh Willdigg), A Single Man (Jonathan Watkins’s choreographic adaptation of Christopher Isherwood) and An Inheritance at Manchester Art Gallery (co-curated by 500+ Greater Manchester schoolchildren).

Aviva Studios — the year-round home

Address: Aviva Studios, Water Street, St John’s, Manchester M3 4JQ.

Aviva Studios was the UK’s largest publicly-funded cultural building project since the Tate Modern. Construction cost: ~£186 million, plus a £35m naming-rights deal with Aviva announced in June 2023 — one of the biggest cultural sponsorship deals in UK history. The lead architect was Ellen van Loon at OMA (the office founded by Rem Koolhaas); it was OMA’s first major UK public building.

The site is the former Granada Studios — historically the home of Coronation Street, World in Action, University Challenge and dozens of ITV productions. The new building sits beside the River Irwell, next door to the Science and Industry Museum and a 10-minute walk from the city centre.

The spaces inside Aviva Studios

• The Warehouse — up to 5,000 standing. 21 metres high. A full-height movable acoustic wall can divide the space into two smaller venues.
• The Hall — 1,600 seated / 2,000 standing. Flexible stage configuration; can be combined with The Warehouse via the movable wall for genuinely large-scale productions.
• Festival Square / public realm — outdoor courtyard used for free programming during MIF and the year-round Summer Factory series.
• The Social — bar and café open year-round.

The two-room flexibility is the building’s defining feature: a single performance can use both rooms with the wall open, or two separate shows can run simultaneously with the wall closed. This is what gives MIF its scale flexibility — from a 200-seat intimate piece to a 7,000-capacity rave in the same building.

MIF 2027 — what we know so far

The next MIF is MIF 2027, the festival’s 11th edition. Based on the biennial pattern of every previous edition, MIF 2027 is expected to run in July 2027, lasting approximately 18 days. As of mid-2026, firm dates and the full programme have not been officially announced — speculative dates from ticketing aggregators (Skiddle in particular) should be treated as guesses. Official confirmation typically comes in autumn 2026, with the full programme released the following spring.

The best way to be first to hear is the Factory International newsletter (sign up at factoryinternational.org), which sends programme announcements to subscribers before they go public. Factory International Members (£45/year — covered below) get an additional 48-hour priority booking window.

Best Manchester International Festival shows — a hit-list of past commissions

The way to understand MIF is through the work that has premiered here. Some of the most-talked-about commissions across the festival’s 18 years:

• Damon Albarn & Jamie Hewlett — Monkey: Journey to the West (2007) — the inaugural festival’s headline; the Gorillaz duo’s Chinese epic opera.
• Björk — Biophilia (2011) — world premiere of the album as a multi-media live show; toured internationally for two years afterwards.
• Punchdrunk — The Drowned Man (2013) — immersive theatre on the scale only Punchdrunk attempts; transferred to London for a year.
• Maxine Peake — The Masque of Anarchy (2013) — Shelley’s poem of Peterloo, performed by Peake in a deconsecrated church.
• Wayne McGregor / Jamie xx / Olafur Eliasson — Tree of Codes (2015) — dance, music and visual art, set inside an Olafur Eliasson light installation.
• Marina Abramović with Antony Hegarty (2011) — collaboration that became a cornerstone of Abramović’s MIF relationship; she’s returned multiple times since.
• Idris Elba & Kwame Kwei-Armah — Tree (2019) — Elba’s South Africa-set theatre piece.
• Yoko Ono — Bells for Peace (2019) — public participation work in Cathedral Gardens.
• Cillian Murphy — Grief Is the Thing with Feathers (2021) — Murphy’s Max Porter adaptation, in a deconsecrated church.
• Yayoi Kusama — You, Me and the Balloons (2023) — the largest-ever Kusama exhibition, in the new Aviva Studios.
• Danny Boyle / Es Devlin / Kenrick Sandy — Free Your Mind (2023, ongoing) — Matrix-inspired theatre-dance spectacular; Aviva Studios’ opening commission.
• THE HERDS (2025) — climate puppetry across Manchester, Rochdale and Wigan.

Where MIF takes place — every venue you need to know

MIF spreads across the city during its 18 days. Aviva Studios is the headquarters, but commissions land at venues across Manchester and (since 2025) wider Greater Manchester. The venues you’ll see used:

• Aviva Studios (Water Street) — HQ; The Warehouse and The Hall.
• HOME (First Street) — theatre, gallery, cinema; multiple MIF commissions land here.
• The Whitworth (Oxford Road, University of Manchester) — major exhibition commissions.
• Manchester Art Gallery (Mosley Street) — civic art commissions.
• Manchester Cathedral — large-scale music and theatre work.
• Royal Exchange Theatre — theatre commissions.
• Palace Theatre — host for several dance commissions (Akram Khan’s Giselle, Available Light).
• Mayfield Depot — used for immersive large-scale work pre-Aviva Studios (e.g. Everything that happened and would happen).
• Outdoor public squares: Albert Square, Festival Square (outside Aviva Studios), St Peter’s Square.
• Rochdale and Wigan (from MIF 2025) — wider Greater Manchester venues.

Tickets, free events and how to get the best of the festival

Ticket prices

MIF tickets typically range £15–£35 for most theatre and dance commissions; premium gigs (Bjork, Kusama exhibition timed slots etc.) can reach £100+. The £10 access scheme for low-income local audiences is the most progressive in any major UK festival — book direct via tickets.factoryinternational.org.

Free events

Many MIF events are free: Festival Square outdoor programming, public art installations, street processions like THE HERDS, free panels and talks. The free programme is typically substantial — easy to do a full MIF day without paying for tickets.

Family-friendly

Children under 12 are free on most family-suitable events. The festival publishes a family-friendly programme each edition.

Booking

All MIF tickets sold via tickets.factoryinternational.org. Programme typically launches in early spring of the festival year; tickets release shortly after. Major commissions sell out fast — Kusama 2023 sold out within hours of the public release.

Year-round Factory International

Since opening in 2023, Aviva Studios has run a year-round programme between MIF editions. Recent and current commissions:

• Free Your Mind (Danny Boyle / Es Devlin, 2023) — the opener; has returned periodically.
• Robin/Red/Breast (Maxine Peake, 2024) — folk-horror immersive.
• David Hoyle three-week residency (2024).
• The Fête of Britain (Brian Eno & Es Devlin, with Jeremy Deller and Cornelia Parker, 2024).
• ARK: United States V (Laurie Anderson, autumn 2024).
• Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic (9–19 October 2025) — 70+ performers, 13 immersive scenes.
• Summer Factory series (annual) — Festival Square free programming during the warmer months.
• Halloween Festival at Aviva Studios — annual family event including the Family Halloween Party / Monster Mash (£6.50 adult/child) and adult-only comedy nights.
• Ongoing concert and event programming — recent flagships have included Big Thief.

Worth keeping an eye on the Aviva Studios “What’s On” page year-round even outside MIF years.

Become a Member or volunteer

Factory International Membership — £45/year

• 48-hour priority booking for all Aviva Studios and MIF events
• 10% F&B and shop discount
• Welcome gift
• Birthday hot drink and cake voucher
• Members newsletter and behind-the-scenes content
• 18+ to join

The 48-hour priority window is the genuine value — Kusama 2023 sold out in the public window; Members got first pick.

Volunteering and Neighbourhood Organisers

MIF runs a substantial volunteer programme during the festival — front-of-house, audience welcomes, public-art activations. The Neighbourhood Organisers programme recruits Manchester residents to help connect MIF with local communities. Applications open in spring of festival years at factoryinternational.org/jobs.

MIF in context — why it matters

The Edinburgh International Festival (founded 1947) and France’s Avignon Festival (founded 1947) are the older European peers; both showcase existing or touring work alongside premieres. MIF’s distinctive identity is that every commission is a world premiere — an editorial choice that has made it one of the most artistically ambitious festivals in Europe.

The numbers underline the scale. MIF 2023 drew 325,000 attendees. Work commissioned at MIF has toured to 30+ countries and reached audiences of 1.6 million+ globally. The New York Times, The Guardian, The Times and the Financial Times consistently rate MIF commissions among the year’s most significant.

For visitors planning a Manchester trip, MIF transforms the city for 18 days every two years. If your trip falls in a MIF year, build the dates around it. If it doesn’t, Factory International’s year-round programming at Aviva Studios is the next best thing.

FAQ — Manchester International Festival

When is Manchester International Festival 2027?
Expected July 2027, dates TBC. The next biennial edition is MIF 2027; firm dates are typically announced in autumn 2026, with the full programme released spring 2027.

What is Manchester International Festival?
A biennial 18-day arts festival of newly commissioned work — every show a world premiere. Spans theatre, dance, music, visual art, digital art, comedy and talks. Founded 2007; the world’s first festival dedicated to commissioning new work. Produced year-round by Factory International from Aviva Studios.

What is the Factory International venue?
Aviva Studios on Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ. £186m OMA-designed building (lead architect Ellen van Loon), opened October 2023. Houses The Warehouse (5,000 standing) and The Hall (1,600 seated / 2,000 standing); a movable acoustic wall divides or combines the two spaces.

How do I get MIF tickets?
Via tickets.factoryinternational.org. Prices £15–£100+. £10 access scheme for low-income locals; many free events; Factory International Membership (£45/year) for 48-hour priority booking.

What are the best Manchester International Festival shows?
Highlight commissions include Yayoi Kusama’s You, Me and the Balloons (2023), Marina Abramović’s 7 Deaths of Maria Callas, Björk’s Biophilia (2011), Boris Charmatz’s 10000 Gestures (2017), Wayne McGregor / Jamie xx / Olafur Eliasson’s Tree of Codes (2015), Damon Albarn’s Monkey (2007), Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man (2013) and Danny Boyle’s Free Your Mind (2023).

Is there MIF in 2026?
No — MIF is biennial, held in odd years. The next edition is MIF 2027 (expected July 2027). Factory International runs year-round programming at Aviva Studios in between.

Where is Aviva Studios?
Water Street, St John’s, Manchester M3 4JQ — beside the River Irwell, next door to the Science and Industry Museum, on the former Granada Studios site. 10 minutes’ walk from Manchester city centre; nearest tram Deansgate–Castlefield.

How much does Factory International Membership cost?
£45/year. Benefits include 48-hour priority booking, 10% F&B and shop discount, welcome gift, birthday hot drink and cake voucher. 18+ to join.

Who runs Manchester International Festival?
Factory International (rebranded from MIF in 2022). Artistic Director / CEO is John McGrath (since September 2015); founding Artistic Director was Alex Poots.

What’s on at Aviva Studios this year?
Check the current programme at factoryinternational.org. Year-round Factory International programming includes the Summer Factory series, the Halloween Festival, plus year-round theatre, dance, music and visual art commissions.

Plan more of your Manchester visit

For wider arts and culture coverage: our Manchester museums and culture pillar covers the city’s museums and galleries; our art galleries guide covers Manchester Art Gallery, the Whitworth, HOME and the wider scene; our Lowry guide covers Salford Quays’ theatre and gallery complex. For other Manchester festivals: Parklife, Manchester Pride, and the events and festivals pillar has the full picture.