Manchester International Festival

Artform: Combined arts
Region: North West
Local authority: Manchester

Manchester International Festival is a leading biennial festival of original cross-artform productions and special events celebrating Manchester’s pre-eminence in arts, culture and music. The Festival was launched in 2007 as an artist-led festival presenting new works in performing arts, visual arts and contemporary culture, some of which was created specifically for the Festival by internationally-recognised artists and producers use MIF as a platform to tour their new material around the world.

The festival’s international character brings new visitors both local and foreign to Manchester to join what has become a global cultural event. MIF is also an important occasion for Mancunians to engage in the arts events inspired by Manchester, while MIF Creative, the learning-focused arm of the festival, connects MIF to Manchester’s diverse communities. The festival regularly draws over 200,000 to its events, educational workshops and community projects. MIF has recently improved sustainability to minimise the environmental impact of the festival and its activities.

Funding awards

2012-2013: £500,000
2013-2014: £500,000
2014-2015: £500,000

Video feed

MASSIVE ATTACK v ADAM CURTIS

A trailer by Adam Curtis for the Manchester International Festival 2013 commission.

The Biospheric Project - a introduction.

Vincent Walsh, Project Director for The Biospheric Project, discusses the ambition, aims and scope of what's happening at Irwell House for Manchester International Festival 2013.

Nikhil Chopra's visit to Queen Street Mill

The Indian artist Nikhil Chopra has been widely acclaimed for his performances that use a repertoire of characters to unravel the complexities of colonial India and Britain, along with his own family history. For Coal on Cotton, Chopra is turning his focus to two materials that made Manchester supremely wealthy in the 19th century, and that continue to hold workers in modern slavery beyond Europe and North America. Held over 65 continuous hours in the shell of the yet-to-be-completed Landscape Gallery at the Whitworth Art Gallery, which will open 24 hours a day for the show's duration, Coal on Cotton will span centuries and continents. The performance will ask its audience to witness and reflect on connections between the lives of our forebears and ourselves, and on the actions that drive power and possession. In a gallery space engulfed by cotton, Chopra's work will make connections between Mumbai and Manchester, cities sewn together through Britain's imperial might. Nikhil Chopra was born in 1974 in Calcutta, studied art at Ohio State University and now lives in Goa. His work Yog Raj Chitrakar: Memory Drawing VIII was part of Marina Abramović Presents... at MIF09.

MIF13 LONG GRASS TRAILER

For MIF13, Inne Goris presents challenging and thought-provoking full-length installation performance for younger and older adults, inspired by the dreams and memories of child soldiers. Long Grass encourages us to ask questions and draw parallels between the soldiers' experiences and our own lives. These performances will be accompanied by workshops and talks for schools.

Show 21 more videos

1st St Timelapse

A timelapse of the installation of our MIF13 Macbeth Relay poster at First Street, Manchester.

Albert Hall

Albert Hall, Manchester, has been closed to the public since 1969. For MIF13, the Hall will open for 5 new commissions.

Campfield Market Hall

The Machine will be presented at Campfield Market Hall, as part of Manchester International festival for 2013.

Maxine Peake Interview at MIF13 Press Launch

Interview with Maxine Peake Interview at MIF13 Launch. Maxine talks about her one-women performance In The Masque Of Anarchy at MIF13. Read more here - http://www.mif.co.uk/event/the-masque-of-anarchy

Jamal Edwards Interview at MIF13 Press Launch

Interview with Jamal Edwards at MIF13 Launch. Jamal's pioneering company, SB.TV has quickly grown into one of the biggest success stories in British youth culture. He talks about his three shows he's bring to Manchester. Read more here - http://www.mif.co.uk/event/jamal-edwards-presents Jamal Edwards Presents... Smokey Barbers History Of Grime Jokes from the Hood

Richard Wentworth Interview at MIF13 Press Launch

Richard Wentworth speaks about do it 2013, and The Active Room, which he has curated for MIF13's visual art exhibition. His room contains a series of instructions aimed at the public from artists including Ai Weiwei, Theaster Gates, Peter Saville, and Ryan Trecartin. For more information about do it, please go to www.mif.co.uk

Inne Goris Interview at MIF13 Press Launch - Part 2, Long Grass

Inne Goris interview at the MIF13 programme launch. In this part she talks about Long Grass, one of her events for MIF13. Once Upon A Story is MIF13 events for young people and families. Find out more her http://www.mif.co.uk/event/once-upon-a-story Events Once Upon A Time ZigZagZigZag Long Grass Daydream

Inne Goris Interview at MIF13 Press Launch part

Interview with Inne Goris at Manchester International Festival 2013 Launch. Once Upon A Time - MIF13's events for young people and families. Inne Goris talking about Long Grass. Read more here - http://www.mif.co.uk/event/once-upon-a-story Events Once Upon A Time ZigZagZigZag Long Grass Daydream

Suhail Khan Interview at MIF13 Press Launch

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Simon Broughton Interview at MIF13 Programme Launch

Simon Broughton, Editor-in-chief at Songlines, talks about Abida Parveen and her upcoming event at Manchester International Festival. Abida Parveen rarely visits the West, this concert offers a rare opportunity to see one of the greats of modern devotional music. This is her only UK date. For more information on this event please go to www.mif.co.uk

Josie Rourke Interview at MIF13 Programme Launch

Josie Rourke, Artistic Director of London's Donmar Warehouse, speaks about returning home to the north of England to direct The Machine for Manchester International Festival. The Machine is a new play by Matt Charman about the epic battle of man against macine, in which world chess champion Garry Kasparov fought Deep Blue, IBM's super computer, in New York in 1997.

MIF13 Programme Launch

MIF13 programme launch.

Join Us - Become an MIF Member

Join us by becoming an MIF Member and get great benfits including priority booking. Find out more at www.mif.co.uk/member

MIF Invites Dr.Me To Explore Our Archive

Dr.Me are a Manchester based creative team who have created a short video film as their response to the Manchester International Festival, using a live track from 'Dr Dee', an MIF 2011 commission from Damon Albarn and Rufus Norris. Find out more at www.mif.co.uk

MIF 2007 Highlights Film