Our Spaces

Photo of a construction worker in the Warehouse
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Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of OMA and Factory International

Photo of the inside of the Warehouse
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Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of OMA and Factory International

People standing around chatting in the Hall foyer
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Yellow seating in the Hall
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The empty Hall, taken from the stage. The image shows yellow seats and an empty theatre-style set-up.
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The Hall. Aviva Studios, home of Factory International.

Food and drink sign above the bar in the Social
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Photo of a visitor walking into the Social
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Photo by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of OMA and Factory International

The Hall Foyer at Aviva Studios
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The Andrew Law Hall

An innovative theatre space designed for a more immersive relationship between the audience and the stage. Hosting the most exciting artists of our time including Pixies, Lily Allen and Janelle Monáe as well as countless world premieres. The supersized stage connects the Andrew Law Hall with the Warehouse, meaning you can really think big - from awards ceremonies and conferences to hybrid events.

  • Capable of accommodating up to 1,230 in standard set-up
  • AV, stage and lighting inclusions available
  • Varying stage depths to enlarge capacities Saa Flexible 'stall seating, which can be removed entirely. To accommodate a variety of formats including seated - standing/seated/round
  • Tiered seating
  • Wheelchair access on all levels
  • Foyer bars, with impressive views across the city
  • Proscenium wall connecting the Hall to the Warehouse - fully acoustically soundproofed when closed or can be lifted to allow a full building takeover

Capacity

Seated up to 1,230

Seated Circle and Stalls 590

Circle 640

Standing Stalls up to 1,554

Standing Stalls 914

Seated Circle 640

Area (m2) 570

Area with Stage 320

The Warehouse

Our ultra-flexible Warehouse is built for ambition. With a universal grid, extensive rigging infrastructure and world- class acoustic capabilities, it has given artists from Marina Abramović to Ai Weiwei to Danny Boyle the freedom to build entire worlds from scratch - and given Robbie Williams, FKA twigs and Fontaines D.C. a stage worthy of the moment. Whether you're staging an epic concert, suspended car reveal, fashion show, skate ramp activation or full-scale immersive conference, the Warehouse delivers the scale and spectacle your event demands.

  • Accommodates up to 2,000 people (4,500 people for a gig set-up)
  • A retractable wall allows you to reconfigure the space into the North and South Warehouse
  • Acoustic separation allows multi-use across the venue at any one time
  • Direct articulated truck access
  • Anchor points in the wall to support any kind of mount or rigging
  • Universal technical grid across the ceiling
  • Air conditioning

Capacity – North and South Warehouse combined

Gig 4,500

Standing Reception 2,000

Theatre 1,500

Banquet 950

Height (max) 21m

Height (min) 20m

Length 64.1m

Width 32.7m

Area (m2) 2096.1

capacity – North Warehouse

Gig 1,100

Standing Reception 900

Theatre 600

Cabaret (tables of 8) 224

Banquet (tables of 10) 280

Height (max) 21m

Height (min) 20m

Length 32.7m

Width 23.6m

Area (m2) 771.7

Capacity – South Warehouse

Gig 2,200

Standing Reception 1,100

Theatre 900

Cabaret (tables of 8) 360

Banquet 450

Height (max) 20.5m

Height (min) 20.5m

Length 35.8m

Width 32.7m

Area (m2) 1170.7

The Public Realm

Located in the heart of St. John's, Aviva Studios is Manchester's landmark cultural destination where bold architecture, industrial character and futuristic design come together to create a truly distinctive setting. Surrounded by one of the city's most vibrant creative neighbourhoods and overlooking the River Irwell, this iconic venue offers maximum footfall and an inspiring urban backdrop for brands looking to make an impact.

Designed as a world-class creative hub, Aviva Studios features three versatile public realm spaces that provide ultra-flexible environments for experiential marketing, filming and photography, immersive installations, pop-up retail and open-air activations. These are River Square, Undercroft, City Square.

  • Supplementing River Square, the Undercroft runs below Aviva Studios, creating a covered external space and enabling activities to take place year-round
  • External power supply
  • WiFi provision within the Undercroft
  • Connected to neighbouring St. John's business and leisure district
  • Up to 2,100 m2 of space to be hired across the Public Realm

The Social

Welcoming you to Aviva Studios, the Social is our ground-floor foyer, bar and café. With original listed brick arches - the only pre-existing feature in this ultra-modern building - the Social is bright and spacious with an industrial undercurrent.

In event mode, the Social transforms to meet your needs - a champagne reception under the arches, a VIP lounge or a red-carpet moment that sets the tone before guests step into the main event. Connecting everything as a welcoming networking space, it works seamlessly as a secondary space to the Hall or Warehouse, or as the beating heart of a full venue takeover.

The Hall Foyer

Wrapping around the Andrew Law Hall and boasting impressive city views, our foyer bars and spaces provide the perfect setting for networking, refreshment breaks, receptions and audience experiences that extend beyond the main event.

  • Built in bar with lowered accessible points
  • Additional single-room accessible toilets located

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