Manchester International Festival (MIF), returns from 1st – 18th July with a vibrant programme of original new work from across the spectrum of visual and performing arts and music by artists from over 20 countries.
Events will take place safely in indoor and outdoor locations across Greater Manchester, including the first ever work on the construction site of The Factory, the landmark cultural space that will be MIF’s future home.
A rich online offer will provide a window into the Festival wherever audiences are, including livestreams and work created especially for the digital real.
With almost all the work created in the past year, MIF21 provides a unique snapshot of these unprecedented times. Artists have reflected on ideas such as love and human connections, the way we play, division and togetherness, equality and social change, and the relationship between the urban and the rural.
Artists include Angélique Kidjo, AkramKhan, Arlo Parks, Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Boris Charmatz, Cerys Matthews, Christine Sun Kim, Cillian Murphy, Deborah Warner, Forensic Architecture, Ibrahim Mahama, Kemang Wa Lehulere, Laure Prouvost, Marta Minujín,Lemn Sissay and Patti Smith.
For the first time, the curation of the Festival’s talks and discussions programme has been handed over to local people, building on MIF’s work involving the community as artistic collaborators and participants in work shaped by them.
Manchester International Festival Artistic Director & Chief Executive, John McGrath says, “MIF has always been a Festival like no other –with almost all the work being created especially for us in the months and years leading up to each Festival edition. But who would have guessed two years ago what a changed world the artists making work for our 2021 Festival would be working in?
“I am thrilled to be revealing the projects that we will be presenting from 1-18 July this year –a truly international programme of work made in the heat of the past year and a vibrant response to our times. Created with safety and wellbeing at the heart of everything, it is flexible to ever-changing circumstances, and boldly explores both real and digital space.
We hope MIF21 will provide a time and place to reflect on our world now, to celebrate the differing ways we can be together, and to emphasise, despite all that has happened, the importance of our creative connections –locally and globally.”
A series of works in public spaces around the city includes, on the Festival’s opening night, a new outdoor dance work by French choreographer Boris Charmatz (10000 Gestures MIF19).
Sea Change will fill Deansgate with a chain of professional and non-professional dancers –including more than 150 local residents –each performing and repeating a dance movement on the spot in a joyous celebration of togetherness in a post-Covid world.
Argentinian art pioneer Marta Minujín willpresentBig BenLying Down with Political Books,a monumental 42m sculpture of the iconic London landmark in Piccadilly Gardens. Assembled from 20,000 copies of books that have shaped British politics, it is a joyful provocation to reimagine our national symbols and unite around democracy and equality.
Also responding to the events of the past year, artist and activist Cephas Williams will create 100 portraits of Black British people, including many from Manchester, displayed throughout Manchester Arndale, making visible and highlighting the contribution of Black people living in the UK.
Christine Sun Kimwill create a series of installations that caption the world that surrounds us -from descriptions installed on buildings, to a plane with a banner caption flying over the city. Playful, powerful and political, Captioning the Cityinvites us to consider what makes up the essence of a city –and to experience our world in a whole new dimension.
Opera and Theatre director Deborah Warner will unveil a new sound and light installation, Arcadia, created specifically for the site of The Factory.
Due to be completed later next year, the new landmark cultural space, designed by internationally-renowned architects OMA, will be the permanent home of MIF.
For one weekend only, audiences will be invited to wander through a field of luminous tents housing a murmuring soundscape of poetry inspired by the natural world: from Sappho to Simon Armitage and from William Blake to Sabrina Mahfouz, featuring recorded contributions from leading actors and musicians including Simon Russell Beale, RoxXxan, Jane Horrocks, Brian Cox, Lionness, David Thewlis, and many others.
Poetry is also the subject of a collaboration by curator Hans Ulrich Obristand poet Lemn Sissayat HOME’s gallery and across the city.
Poet Slash Artistbrings together poets who work withvisual art, and visual artists who work with poetry from Tracey Eminto Inua Ellams, Imtiaz Dharkerto Sky Hopinka, Lubaina Himidto Adonis. Alongside, Cerys Matthews will curate a special live event celebrating words and music.
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, commented, “After the year we’ve all had that has been such a massive challenge for our cultural sector -which was the first to lockdown a year ago and will be the last to reopen -Manchester needs MIF this year more than ever.
Manchester has always been a city that values and champions culture and is rightly recognised across the globe for its strengths and innovation in this. As we now begin to move out of the pandemic, we’re very clear that the cultural sector has an enduring and important part to play in our recovery.
Thanks to the determination and creativity of the MIF team and all the artists and others who are part of this year’s festival, I have no doubt that MIF21 will put Manchester back in the spotlight once more, firmly centre-stage again, leading the way as ever and showing the rest of the world what Manchester does best.”
Tickets will be on sale on from 20th May 2021 and can be purchased here along with more information on the festival.
