Make Your Mark: Art & Activism with Ai Weiwei

An opportunity for secondary schools to receive up to a full-day creative learning workshop for students when purchasing tickets to see Ai Weiwei: Button Up!

Ai Weiwei stood with arms folded wearing a black t-shirt, in front of a giant flag made of buttons

About the exhibition

Internationally renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei turns his critical gaze to the last 200 years of global history with this major new exhibition. Monumental in scale and ambition, Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is the artist’s most expansive presentation in the North to date.

Ai Weiwei is known around the world for his uncompromising artistic vision and political activism. From a childhood in exile to surviving secret detention in China, his remarkable life and career have led him to global prominence. Using sculpture, installation, film, photography and architecture, his work is unafraid to ask urgent, critical questions.

Schools offer

We are offering secondary schools across Greater Manchester a chance to receive a full-day creative learning workshop at your school when purchasing tickets to see Ai Weiwei: Button Up!

Our team of creatives will visit each school where we will:

  • Build an understanding of Ai Weiwei’s life, work and the themes within the exhibition
  • Explore key concepts of art and activism, including identity, protest, censorship and freedom of expression
  • Take part in discussion, critical thinking and collaborative activities to unpack how art can create social change
  • Experiment with materials and creative processes inspired by Ai Weiwei’s use of everyday objects and symbolic gestures
  • Help pupils to develop their own artistic responses to an issue they care about

How to apply

If this project sounds like something your school would be interested in, please complete our simple online application form. Priority will be given to schools who will benefit most from the project, including those with higher percentages of students eligible for Free School Meals and Pupil Premium.

Applications close: Tuesday 14 April, 2026

Schools will be notified in due course. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Creative Learning Team at learning@factoryinternational.org

Apply now →

How does the project work?

Participating Schools will purchase tickets for a class of students and support staff to see Ai Weiwei: Button Up! In July 2026.

  • For every 10 student tickets purchased a teacher/support member of staff will receive a free ticket. Tickets are the discounted rate of £7.50 per student. If you require additional staff members for the trip then extra tickets must be purchased.
  • If any students require 1-1 support, we can offer a free personal assistant ticket. Please don’t book your tickets before we have confirmed if you have been given a place on this opportunity.
  • In return, our team of artist facilitators will deliver a full-day creative workshop with your students, at each school across June and July 2026. This project has been designed for KS4 students but can be delivered with KS3 and we intend to work with the students who will visit the Button Up! Exhibition.
  • We can work with more than one class from each school (one class per day), dependent upon the number of classes the school has purchased tickets for.

Key dates

This project will be delivered between June and July 2026.

Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is available for schools to book between 2nd July and 18th July

FAQS

What will Factory International offer?

  • A full-day creative learning workshop delivered at school for a class of students
  • Access to highly skilled professional artists with experience working with young people of varying needs
  • A member of the creative learning team who will oversee the project and be a point of contact

What will your school need to do?

  • If your application is successful, we'll get in touch so you can reserve tickets for a class, or multiple classes of students from your school through our group booking service. Please note your preferred date for Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is subject to availability and needs to fall between 2 and 18 July
  • Provide dedicated member/s of staff for the creative learning team to contact prior to and throughout the course of the project
  • Provide a dedicated member of teaching staff to be present during all workshops
  • Provide a dedicated team of staff to accompany students to see Ai Weiwei: Button Up!
  • Organise and cover the cost of travel for students and staff to Aviva Studios to see Ai Weiwei: Button Up! Please be aware we do not have coach parking on-site, coaches will need to drop the group off and return for pick-up.
  • Provide an appropriate space for workshops to take place
  • Contribute to and complete Factory International’s monitoring and evaluation processes

Coach offer

Discounted coach travel can be arranged through our partner Belle Vue Coach Hire.

70 seater - £395 down from £425

52 seater - £325 down from £375.

Book direct with Belle Vue and quote "FI2026".

Travel departures can be scheduled from 9.30am.

Latest pick up from Aviva Studios is 1.30pm.

Offer is available to schools in Manchester, Stockport, and Tameside areas.

The Company information and contact is:

Damian Ditchfield

iMA High Yellow

T: 0161 947 9477 Option 1

E: damian@bellevue-mcr.com

W: www.bellevue-mcr.com

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