Working Class Creative Exchange Guide

Sarah Hardacre

Job Role: Visual Artist, Printmaker, Cultural Producer & Freelance Project Manager

My visual arts practice in collage and print explores the experience of women within the urban built environment and the complex relationship between female bodies, architecture and space. And my public commissions extend to co-curated performances, community driven projects and large-scale installations which investigate the socio-historical stories of place. Both strands of my practice practice are motivated and informed by my working-class northern identity, and by the multifaceted social, civic and political histories that make up that context.   

Areas of Knowledge: 

• Visual Art: I've been a practicing artist for over a decade with gallery representation and international exhibiting experience.
• Cultural Production: I've worked on large scale events for organisations across the North West producing outdoor art and performance events.

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Low Kee Hong

Job Role: Creative Director at Factory International

Kee Hong oversees the Curatorial team at Factory International and alongside John McGrath, develops the artistic programme for Factory International and leads on the programme for Manchester International Festival 2025 onwards. Kee Hong oversees the Public Engagement team, leading transformative programs that connect with communities and organisations across Greater Manchester and the North. This includes Artist Development, supporting local talent to reach international audiences, and managing Factory Academy, which offers training for careers in the arts and creative industries, particularly for those facing economic and cultural barriers. Kee Hong also manages the International department, collaborating with global cultural organisations, whose financial and creative input helps to make MIF and Factory International projects possible, and helps to ensure that projects made in Manchester are seen worldwide.

John McGrath

Job Role: Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International

Before opening Aviva Studios in October 2023, John curated four editions of Manchester International Festival, featuring new work by an international range of artists including Yoko Ono, Philip Glass, Skepta, Ibrahim Mahama, Tania Bruguera and many more. Prior to this role, John was the founding Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, where he directed work including The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning, and produced shows such as The Passion of Port Talbot and Coroilan/us. He has also led Manchester’s Contact Theatre, and was Associate Director at Mabou Mines in New York. He has a PhD from New York University and an honorary doctorate from the Open University, and has published widely in the field of cultural theory.