Factory International

Factory International Schools

Takeover

A collage of images on a light purple background – with the words 'Chase Your Dreams' in the middle. The images include an elephant, a tiger and a child playing basketball.
Date
26 - 30 Jun 2024
Venue
Aviva Studios

Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access

Our partner schools took over Aviva Studios for an end-of-year celebration – with free exhibitions, workshops and music curated by 181 brilliant young people. Find out more about the project here.

Takeover was the end-of-year celebration of Factory International’s year-round schools partnership programme. It included a series of free events and exhibitions on the theme of imagination.

Over the last year, 181 young people across five partner schools created exciting artistic work, public products and performances to share alongside a curated selection of artists and artwork co-created with a leadership collective of 20 young people.

From giant inflatables to mindfulness workshops, there was something for everyone.

this event has ended ● 

Photos

Two children drawing on a colourful doodle wall
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A large group of children sat on the floor of the Social, watching a performance on the stage
2/3
A group of children clapping and cheering in the Social – with a screen behind them that says 'Aviva Studios'
3/3

Watch: Home is a feeling not a place

A film still that shows a figure stood beneath several bright lights

DWAYNE | Factory International Creative Learning x SODA

00:03:16

A figure that shows a teenager with braids and glasses speaking

God's-Victory | Factory International Creative Learning x SODA

00:01:56

Events

About

Artists LayFullStop, Reece Williams, Femi Tahiru and Tallulah Millington are embedded into five partner schools – Levenshulme High School for Girls, Falinge Park High School, St Peters RC High School, Parrs Wood High School and Melland High School.

Beyond doing art and creativity in schools, we are interested in how to share power with young people. We have spent the last six months co-designing and co-creating what a youth-led takeover of the building could look like.

The young people chose ‘Imagination’ as the theme for their takeover. They wanted ‘to transform different areas of the building into themes’ and have ‘workshops where you can make things to take home with you’ as well as ‘a doodle wall, dance workshop, chill out space, DJs playing RnB, local drill, and professional performances’. Most importantly, they said, ‘we want to celebrate all the things we have done with other young people’.

We have taken their wants, wishes and hopes and turned them into a celebration of joy, imagination and boundless potential. We are so proud of everything they have achieved in the last year and hope you enjoy the exhibition.

Exhibition guide

Thanks

Special thanks to all of the young people.

Adam

Ainsha

Amelia

Amina

Ana-Maria

Aroosa

Asia

Aysha

Ayzah

Bethel

Corey

Ethan

Farzana

Hiba

Inaya

Iqra

Isaac

Jackson

Kainaat

Kayci

Lamia

Leah

Lucas

Maaria

Maira

Maliha

Maryam

Mohammed

Nitasha

Oliver

Oscar

Sameera

Sayf

Shama

Sienna

Sophia

Tahmina

Tasmin

Adeenah

Alfie

Alice

Alice-Mary

Angel

Anisa

Ashley

Candice

Chizalum

Christobel

Dado

Derrick

Dwayne

Eyob

Harley

Humphrey

Isabella

Jaiden

Jakisha

Jayden

Jeslyn

Jorja

Kaiser

Keira

Layna

Lily

Lindsey

Mabel

Nana

Nitai

Oluwatemlora

Peyton

Shania

Shay

Tommy

Tresor

Veronica

Wilonja

Abby

Aishah

Aleena

Alison

Aliyah

Aliza

Brooke

Darein

Eshal

Fareeha

Hamna

Inaayah

Isabella

Kawsar

Layan

Lazya

Lily May

Maryam

Myar

Naayma

Nandana

Neha

Sanaz

Sara

Saroosh

Seher

Seher

Sejeela

Siyana

Sheza

Tamilini

Yusra

Zainab

Alara

Amina

Ariadna

Ayad

Cameron

Cora

Cuba

Edie

Eleanor

Elliot

Emily

Emma

Fergus

Finn

Flossie

God’svictory

Hamna

Hano

Imaan

Imogen

Jasmine

Joe

Katie

Leyla

Logan

Martha

Maya

Michael

Molly

Pratik

Riley

Sade

Seth

Shannayah

Sofiya

Sookie

Thomas

Zara

Zuzanna

Abdullah

Adam

Aishah

Asfa

Dzatsins

Gavin

Helena

Jack

Lana

Malik

Mariam

Matab

Meerab

Ruhma

Saabir

Sanad

Shojoon

Willian

Yasemin

Zahreen

Aisha Mian

Danyella Otosio

Emma Rainford

Miss Bowie

Mr Hughes

Mr Morgan

Serene Phillips

Simon De Courcey

Sameed Rezayan – Head of Creative Learning

Amber Calland – Creative Learning Manager

Femi Tahiru – Artist Facilitator

Lay Juma – Artist Facilitator

Recce Williams – Artist Facilitator

Tallulah Millington – Artist Facilitator

Rawan Yousif – Creative Learning Assistant

Alina Akbar – Photographer

Boy Blue – Dance Artists

Caroline Daley – Puppet Artist

Jasmin Issaka – Graphic Designer

Maya Cross Odemudia – Collage Artist

Meme Gold – Performer and Fashion Designer

MikeSian – Graphic Designers

Nasima Begum – Poet

Night People – Dance and Film Artists

Owen Smith – Rapper

Tina Ramos Ekongo – Collage Artist

Access information

Our full address is Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ and the what3words is chop.feeds.chase.

You can approach Aviva Studios along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield). Both entrances to the building have double sets of glass doors.

Once inside Aviva Studios, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. The flooring throughout the building is smooth concrete.

The Social has a range of seating, including those with arms and backs.

The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points.

Our building is large. We have portable stools available to borrow if you would benefit from resting along the way during your visit.

We have wheelchair spaces and seats at standing events for all events.

There are accessible toilets on all public levels of our building.

Accessible toilets are located inside the main toilets space in the brick arches of the Social.

Here you’ll find a mixture of accessible cubicles with left- or right-hand transfer, towards the back of the space, as well as ambulant accessible cubicles with grab rails, as well as a Changing Places facility.

The toilets in the brick arches of the Social are split into male, female and gender neutral – all of which contain accessible cubicles. There are shared handwashing facilities in each arch – they have soap dispensers under the mirrors to your left and dryers to the right. There are separate handwashing facilities inside the accessible cubicles.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in both Hall Foyers, at stalls and circle level.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in the Warehouse Foyer.

You do not need a key to use the accessible toilets at Aviva Studios.

Assistance dogs are welcome in our building, and we can provide mats and water bowls on request, just ask a host when you arrive. We can also take care of your assistance dog if you do not want to take your dog into the performance space. Please also refer to our assistance dogs policy.

If you are bringing an assistance dog to a ticketed event, please let us know in advance by contacting access@factoryinternational.org or calling our access phone number: 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday).

Travel information

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

Our closest stations are:

Salford Central station: 0.4 miles

Deansgate station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram: 0.6 miles

St Peter’s Square tram: 0.6 miles

Manchester Victoria station is approximately one mile from Aviva Studios

Manchester Piccadilly station is approximately 1.3 miles from Aviva Studios

Click on the links above to find detailed access information for each station.

By Bike

There are 40 bike parking spaces at Aviva Studios including space for two accessible bikes.

National Cycling Route 6 passes close to the venue and this TfGM webpage can help with route planning.

You can also hire bikes from on-street docking stations across the city centre. The closest docking stations to our venue are currently on Deansgate by Liverpool Road and (400m from the building) and by King Street (500m from the building). Take a look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s webpage for advice on cycle hire.

By Walking and Other Active Means

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street via Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

If you're coming from Quay Street, the safest route to avoid construction works is via the cut-through opposite Gartside Street and past Booking.com.

All footways in the surrounding area are well lit and there are appropriate crossings across all main roads.

Pedestrians with visual impairment are recommended to approach the building via Water Street, from Liverpool Road. This route has traditional carriageway and footway design with fixed street furniture which should help with navigation to the entrance.

A footbridge at Left Bank in Spinningfields provides an accessible link across the River Irwell to Salford Central station, and a further footbridge also links Aviva Studios with the Salford area of Middlewood Locks.

Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Aviva Studios along Deansgate, Bridge St and Quay St. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.

There is a car park approximately 0.6 miles from Aviva Studios at Water Street Car Park, New Elm Rd, Manchester, M3 4JH.

There is also a NCP car park (Manchester Spinningfields) approximately 0.5 miles away from Aviva Studios at Spinningfields, New Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3BE. It has 35 accessible bays.

There are a small number of Blue Badge spaces along Water St and Quay St. Otherwise head towards Liverpool Road, Great John St and Lower Byrom St – close to our neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum where there are a small number of additional Blue Badge spaces.

For a list of other parking bays available in the area, visit Manchester City Council website.

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