A factory like no other

Factory International is a new iconic venue in Manchester, where Granada Studios used to be. The name is a nod to Manchester's industrial heritage and to Factory as a record label. This is not just another space for performance, even for Manchester's very high standards; it is a space where collaboration between audiences and creators is encouraged, where communities can come together, co-create and engage with audiences. 

This is a meeting place, a 'living room in the city', but also a place of education, where courses in creating, performing, and managing artistic activities are offered. It is a space where creative professionals and the public can collaborate. It is also a place that can be transformed to match the needs of different performances, be it music, exhibitions, theatre. On the website there are videos where one can learn about various artistic practices and even how to integrate them in one's life, which makes it even more accessible. 

Why is such an approach important? I think it is fair to say that we live in complex societies that are bitterly divided in so many ways; art can reflect that, but it could potentially play a role in reducing these divisions and hopefully the possibility of conflict. I suppose a traditional division is that between the professional artist and the layman audience, but that traditional relationship is not always as clearcut as it seems at first sight. Feng and colleagues suggest that it is important to promote a culture of participation and democratise the creative process in order to strengthen communities. Zhao and colleagues suggested that these days, the audience does not just want to be a passive receiver. The line has become blurred, and audiences can become story-tellers themselves, especially in online settings. The internet provides opportunities where individuals of various amounts of expertise can present their creations and can even develop artistic careers this way. 

I personally tend to like more the traditional approaches, and for me watching live theatre is something that cannot be done online. Equally, I know a lot of people that feel a little estranged from traditional theatre and art spaces. It seems to me that Factory International is trying to blend the two, and get communities involved in all levels of the creative process alongside creative professionals, especially marginalised communities. 

Exploring Factory International highlighted for me that thinking of creativity and creative products as the work of a misunderstood genius is rather a simplistic way of looking at creativity. People are always part of certain groups and communities, where they learn about and conform to past norms, values, and practices; but given that societies always face new challenges, they often also need to be able to refashion aspects of their lives in order to survive. We live in complex societies that consist of multiple groups and identities, that can often be in conflict. Theories such as the social identity theory are well-placed to examine the complex interaction between creativity, individuality and social conformity, and between creators and audiences, as Haslam and colleagues pointed out. For example, within this framework, it has been suggested that creativity can bring people together, create new identities and opportunities, and change society for the better. So, although creativity and culture can confirm our common beliefs and values, it can also challenge them, and contribute to new, blended, healthier identities and communities.

If Factory International can give opportunities to individuals and groups to develop their creative skills and identities – especially marginalised communities that might not have ordinarily be able to afford such training, networking, and involvement – then it will give voice to members of society that are not ordinarily heard. This makes it more likely that audiences and artists will learn to embrace new ideas and identities. In a city such as Manchester – the cradle of industrial revolution but also a place plagued with poverty, deprivation, and inequalities – this is very important. Of course, a lot of these ideas stem from the Factory record label that Tony Wilson created. 

The heart-breaking conflict going on around the world makes the creation of new ways of compassionate co-existing, blending and flourishing even more pressing. Peace seems to be elusive at the moment, and while it may be naïve to think that art and creativity can eliminate inequalities and conflict, they could at least be part of a solution.

Despite my covid-cautiousness, I visited the venue with my colleague Jeremy Hopper some months ago. It is a vast space, and very quiet when we went. We watched An Atlas by Es Devlin, an atmospheric concoction of poetry, visuals, sounds, with a very important environmental message. It was repeated throughout the day, and as Es Devlin says, the space and performance felt like a chapel where everyone is welcome at any point to sit and contemplate. Es Devlin was set designer for 'Free your mind', which opens the space by mixing the movie The Matrix, Manchester's cotton industry and industrial revolution, as well as the development of computers which Alan Turing spearheaded in Manchester all those decades ago. Including him in a production and venue that encourage and celebrate diversity makes it even more moving and poignant.  

Last but not least, I was incredibly proud to see MMU students from SODA create fantastic Digital Art as part of this performance, as described in 'Imagine', on iplayer. It exemplifies the philosophy of Factory International, which is to involve the community at every opportunity, and not just as audiences. This is a great example of authentic learning and enabling students to get involved in a real-life activity, using the skills they learned in their course. They recently won an award for their work too; what a great way to celebrate 200 years of MMU! 

• Dr Aspa Paltoglou, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University
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