Artist Takeover

Factory International; Manchester; Hybride; GBP 100 - 140; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Development budget

Dedicated Production Manager

Access to specialist expertise

Public sharing opportunities

Résumé du poste

English National Opera and Factory International invite artists to take over the North Warehouse at Aviva Studios in Manchester for up to six days in February 2027 to explore opera, musical theatre, performance and storytelling at scale.

There is no requirement for a finished work; the focus is experimentation, development and discovery, with a budget and production support provided and optional public sharing or industry events planned to suit the idea.

Qualifications

• Be 18 or over.
• Be based in the North of England.
• Have at least five years of professional practice.
• Have an idea that would benefit from being explored at large scale.
• Be interested in developing new approaches to music, performance, storytelling or interdisciplinary practice.
• Be available from Dec 2026 to develop and prepare your idea.

Responsabilités

• Take over the North Warehouse at Aviva Studios for up to six days.
• Develop and test your idea with support from ENO and Factory International.
• Access a development and production budget to support fees, research and development.
• Receive guidance from a dedicated Production Manager and our producing team.
• Participate in creative feedback and dialogue throughout the process.
• Optionally share progress through a public event or industry session if useful to the project.

Description du poste

A partnership between English National Opera and Factory International

Closing Date - 11:59 PM, Monday 9 November 2026

Do you have an ambitious creative idea you want to explore, experiment with and develop at scale?

In February 2027, English National Opera and Factory International are handing over the North Warehouse at Aviva Studios for up to six days.

We’re inviting an artist, collective or creative team to take over the space and explore new approaches to opera, musical theatre, performance and storytelling.

This is an opportunity to take a creative risk: to test an idea, work at scale and explore something that might not be possible elsewhere.

There is no expectation to create a finished work or a successful ‘outcome’.

The focus is on experimentation, testing and discovery. You can use the time to try things out, change direction, bring people together, research, make, rehearse or simply see what is possible in the space.

Any sharing of the work will be optional and shaped around what is useful to you and your idea.

What we’re looking for

We welcome artists from any discipline, working individually or as part of a collective or creative team.

You should:

• Be 18 or over

• Be based in the North of England

• Have at least five years of professional practice

• Have an idea that would benefit from being explored at large scale

• Be interested in developing new approaches to music, performance, storytelling or interdisciplinary practice

• Be available from Dec 2026 to develop and prepare your idea

We’re particularly interested in artists who are exploring fresh and contemporary approaches to storytelling, music and performance, and who are interested in crossing artforms or working in new ways.

We particularly welcome applications from artists who are underrepresented in the sector, including disabled artists, artists from the Global Majority and female artists.

What we’ll give you

The selected artist or collective will receive:

• Up to six days in the North Warehouse at Aviva Studios

• A development and production budget to support artist fees, research and development, production and other costs

• A dedicated Production Manager to help develop your ideas and support you through the process

• Support from our producing team

• Access to specialist technical, digital, curatorial and engagement expertise

• Time, space and resources to experiment and develop your idea

• Creative feedback and critical dialogue throughout the process

• Support with production planning and delivery

• Opportunities to connect with people and networks within English National Opera, Factory International and beyond

• Support to organise a public sharing or targeted industry event, where this would be useful to the development of the work

• Access costs for disabled artists and collectives

We’ll work with you to shape how the six days are used, based on what your idea needs. This could include creative development, research, workshops, rehearsals, making, testing, technical experimentation or bringing collaborators into the space.

There is no expectation to create a finished or public work. You might choose to invite creative peers or critical friends to see what you’re developing, or share something at the end of the week. The priority is giving you the time, space, resources and expertise to explore an ambitious idea and see where it could lead.

You will be paid £100 for your time at this stage.

Key dates

Applications open: Tuesday 12 October, 12 PM
Applications close: Monday 9 November, 11:59 PM
Second-stage invitations: 19-30 November
Interviews: 3 December
Takeover week: Monday 22 - Saturday 27 February 2027

Drop-in information session:

This is a chance to come to a drop-in session to view the warehouse and ask us any questions regarding the opportunity to our producers and technical director.