Manchester's Factory International Renamed Aviva Studios After £35m Insurance Company Sponsorship
The arts venue in Manchester, previously known as Factory International, has been rebranded as Aviva Studios after securing a £35 million sponsorship from the insurance firm Aviva. This change follows Manchester City Council's decision to sell the naming rights due to increasing costs that surged from an original budget of £110 million. The venue pays tribute to the local Factory Records label, linked to iconic groups like Joy Division and the Hacienda. Designed by Ellen van Loon from the Dutch firm OMA, this project is their first significant public endeavor in the UK, backed by a £78 million government investment. Aviva Studios will launch in July with a Yayoi Kusama exhibition during the Manchester International Festival, followed by an official opening in October featuring a multidisciplinary experience directed by Danny Boyle.
Key facts
- The £210m arts venue in Manchester is renamed Aviva Studios after a £35m sponsorship deal.
- Manchester City Council sold naming rights due to rising post-pandemic costs, with budget overruns from £110m.
- The original name Factory International referenced the local Factory Records music label and bands like Joy Division.
- The sponsorship is one of the largest corporate deals of its kind in the UK.
- Ellen van Loon of OMA designed the venue, OMA's first major public building in the UK.
- The British government pledged £78m toward initial costs, a major cultural investment since Tate Modern in 2000.
- Aviva Studios opens in July with a Yayoi Kusama exhibition as part of the Manchester International Festival.
- The official opening in October features a dance, music, and visual effects experience directed by Danny Boyle.
Entities
Artists
- Ellen van Loon
- Yayoi Kusama
- Danny Boyle
Institutions
- Factory International
- Aviva Studios
- Manchester City Council
- OMA
- Tate Modern
- Manchester International Festival
- Factory Records
- Joy Division
- the Hacienda
- Aviva
Locations
- Manchester
- United Kingdom
- UK