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.

We're a new purpose-built cultural space in the heart of Manchester. The approach to Aviva Studios is flat, with smooth concrete flooring.

The entrance to our building is through double glass doors. There are automatic doors at both entrances and these are also staffed when the building is open to the public.

Once inside, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. Lifts to the Warehouse are located through the glass doors beside the city entrance. Lift and escalator access to the Hall is located next to the river entrance, just beyond the brick arches.

You will first arrive into the Social, a large public space where there are a range of seats (including those with arms), a bar and toilets (including accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility).

The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points, and induction loops for hearing-aid users.

To book access tickets and personal assistant tickets please call 0161 817 4531 (Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm) or email access@factoryinternational.org

Access bookings can be made by email or phone. They are also available in person at Aviva Studios.

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).

There is step-free access to all areas of the venue, with lift access to the North Warehouse from the Social. The experience is step-free and there is access for wheelchair users throughout. The rooms have been designed with wide doorways and clear pathways.

The are BSL interpreted presentations on the following dates:

• Saturday 24 August at 11am
• Wednesday 28 August at 3pm

These presentations will involve a live BSL interpretation from Alexandra James who starred as Aisha Green in season 4 of Sex Education. Watch our BSL trailer below:

There are audio-described performances on the following dates:

• Thursday 15 August, 3pm
• Saturday 17 August, 11am

Open Audio Description will be delivered by Anne Hornsby of Mind’s Eye. Anne will travel through the experience with you and describe the environment and the action in real-time. Anne will also support blind and visually impaired visitors to engage with interactive and tactile moments in the work.

There are relaxed presentations of Sweet Dreams on the following dates:

• Wednesday 14 August at 10.20am
• Tuesday 20 August at 10.20am
• Sunday 25 August at 6pm

The production is in the early stages of its development. At this point we can confirm that a relaxed presentation will feature the following adjustments:

Space

We’ve scheduled these sessions at a reduced capacity so that you’ll have plenty of space to move around without feeling too crowded.

There are no sessions scheduled directly before and after this group’s entry into the space so that you have exclusive use of the space and don’t feel rushed.

You are welcome to move about and make noise if you need to.

Our Front of House team will be on hand to guide anyone who wishes to leave the experience at any point via the nearest exit.

Aviva Studios is quieter in the mornings.  We suggest you book for this time if this will make you more comfortable.

Lighting

General lighting through the experience will be a little brighter than usual to help you navigate your way through the space with ease.

There will be no flashing lights or strobe.

Moments of complete darkness will be removed.

Sound

Overall sound volume is reduced throughout.

There will no very loud noises.

We will have ear defenders or ear plugs available to use.

We’ll continue to update this information as the production develops with more specific information.  There will be an announcement to the audience before the session starts, so that everyone knows what to expect.

We have created a What to Expect Guide which can be used as a resource to support Relaxed Presentation attendees to plan their visit. It will also be useful to those who have never attended an immersive processional experience before.

You can access the guide below.

All presentations from Fri 19 July 2024 onward are captioned. Captions will be presented on screens throughout the experience.

This is a processional experience which requires audiences to move through a series of spaces.  The audience will be required to stand for much of the experience, three of the rooms have seats (including beanbags and chairs without arm rests) where you will have an opportunity to sit. They’ll also be foldable stools available to borrow, which you are welcome to carry around with you during the experience.

Sweet Dreams contains representations and sounds of food and eating throughout, references to poverty, tobacco use, funerals and death, and some mild swearing.

The production also contains large digital screens with fast moving images, flashing LED lights, blue UV lighting, moments of darkness, water-based haze and loud surround sound featuring music and dialogue simultaneously.

There is some optional audience interactivity.

For those who may find this type of environment overstimulating, there are relaxed presentations on the following dates:

• Wednesday 14 August at 10.20am
• Tuesday 20 August at 10.20am
• Sunday 25 August at 6pm

Please see our tab on relaxed presentations for more information on how these showings will be adapted.

Please note as the show develops, the What to Expect Guide may change. You can find the latest version below.