About

Aviva Studios is a global destination for arts, music, and culture in the heart of Manchester. Programmed and operated by the team behind Manchester International Festival (MIF), Factory International commissions, produces and presents an ambitious year-round programme of original creative work, music and special events by leading artists from across the globe. The building design is based around large, open, ultra-flexible spaces that can be constantly reconfigured, enabling large-scale artistic work of invention and ambition that isn’t made anywhere else in the world. The 13,350 square metre building includes a 21m high Warehouse with capacity for up to 5,000 people standing, which can also be divided by a movable, full-height acoustic wall, and a Hall with a flexible stage which can house an audience of up to 1,600 seated or 2,000 standing, as well as other spaces inside and out. The warehouse and the hall can also work together, with the proscenium capable of opening fully into the warehouse and allowing the stage to run deeper into the building. Its public spaces, from The Social to its outdoor areas, come alive with year-round activities such as family friendly workshops, pop-up food stalls, music, workshops and markets, many of them free, creating a thriving riverside destination for everyone to enjoy.

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Disabled Access Information Provided by Aviva Studios, home of Factory International

Disabled Access at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International

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 automatic glass doors. Once inside Aviva Studios, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. The flooring throughout the building is smooth concrete. The entrance to the Hall is by lift, escalator or stairs from one side of the Social beside the brick arches. There is only one escalator, and this will take you up to the Hall before the show, and will be reversed so that you can travel down at the end of the performance. The entrance to the Warehouse is by lift or stairs from the Social. Two lifts and a staircase to the Warehouse are located in the Social opposite the bar. The Social has a range of seating, including those with arms and backs. The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points. Our building is large. We have portable stools available to borrow if you would benefit from resting along the way during your visit. We have wheelchair spaces and seats at standing events for all events. For standing gigs and shows in our Warehouse space we have an accessible viewing platform available for wheelchair users and their companion or anyone needing a seat for access reasons. This is available by pre-booking only. The accessible viewing platform is usually located towards the rear of the Warehouse – it is positioned higher than the crowd and accessed via a lift and ramp. It will be staffed throughout the night and has a dedicated bar service.

Accessible parking at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International

There are eight Blue Badge spaces along Water St and Quay St. Otherwise head towards Liverpool Road, Great John St and Lower Byrom St – close to our neighbours, the Science and Industry Museum where there are a small number of additional Blue Badge spaces. There is a car park approximately 0.6 miles from the building entrance at Water Street Car Park, New Elm Rd, Manchester, M3 4JH. There is also a NCP car park (Manchester Spinningfields) approximately 0.5 miles away from the venue at Spinningfields, New Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3BE. It has 35 accessible bays.

Dedicated on site parking

Toilets features at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International

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.

Accessible toilet

A designated accessible toilet designed for wheelchair users and others with visible and non-visible accessibility requirements is available within the main public areas.