DESCRIPTION

Manchester International Festival (MIF) is the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events, staged every two years in Manchester, UK. MIF launched in 2007 as an artist-led festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture. MIF has commissioned, produced and presented world premieres by artists including Björk, Steve McQueen, Robert Wilson, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Jeremy Deller, Wayne McGregor, Maxine Peake, Boris Charmatz, The xx, Zaha Hadid Architects, Thomas Ostermeier, Damon Albarn, Punchdrunk, Elbow and Marina Abramović. MIF brings together world-renowned artists from different art forms and backgrounds to create dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking new work, staged in venues across Greater Manchester – from theatres, galleries and concert halls to railway depots, churches and car parks. MIF works closely with venues, festivals and other cultural organisations globally, whose financial and creative input helps to make many of these projects possible and ensures that work made at MIF goes on to be seen around the world. The Festival also works widely within Manchester with a new initiative called My Festival – a community of creative people from all backgrounds, ages and corners of the city who are forging closer connections with MIF. MIF’s Artistic Director and CEO is John McGrath, previously the Founding Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales. In 2017, MIF was confirmed as the operator of The Factory, a new £110 million cultural centre in Manchester due to open in 2020. MIF is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.