Studio Tonto is a newly launched creative studio formed by co-founders of the Liverpool-based Invisible Wind Factory (IWF), also known as Kazimier. The team brings together diverse expertise from within IWF: Michael Lill leads on Artistic Direction, Concept Design, and Build; Venya Krutikov focuses on Creative Technology, SFX, and AV Design & Engineering; and Liam Naughton has served as Managing Director and Creative Producer.

IWF is an arts-led organisation operating a variety of creative ventures, including the Invisible Wind Factory venues (performance arts, nightclub, roller rink, and music venue), the IWF artist studios and workshops, the Kazimier Garden, and a Creative Team engaged in outdoor arts, performance art, sound and light sculpture, immersive arts, and sensory live games. This artistic team is renowned for creating unique structures that integrate special effects and technology, specifically designed to entertain and engage audiences interactively. A key focus of their work is audience involvement, with a strong element of play and interactivity woven into each piece. Known for projects such as Liverpool’s River of Light, the collective consistently pushes boundaries, merging technology, performance, and design to create immersive, multi-sensory environments.

In September, Studio Tonto enter a phase of R&D and experimentation as part of our Artist Takeover. This marks a pivotal moment for the team, representing both a fresh direction in immersive art forms and the soft launch of the new Studio Tonto creative studio.

Their project, provisionally titled Midnight Temple, draws on themes of seasonal change, enchanted gardens, sacred architecture, and the cycles of nature. It will offer an experience for audiences of all ages through the use of tactile interfaces, projections, and sound, aligning with the team’s exploration of the intersections between art, technology, and person-centered experience.

Michael Lill and Venya Krutikov lead this project, with support from the IWF freelance team and collaborators Emily Lansley and Alex Germains on music and sound design. Emily and Alex, both multidisciplinary artists and performers, bring their unique creative approaches to the project. Working together under their 'Vice Moth' collaboration, they thrive in creating experimental, innovative, and improvisational work. Emily, also known for her role in the art-pop trio Stealing Sheep, and Alex, an educator at Liverpool’s prestigious LIPA, lend their expertise in sound and performance to Midnight Temple, blending structure with creative spontaneity.