New Chair Of Trustees Announced For Factory International

Moira Sinclair OBE will take over from Tom Bloxham MBE as Chair of the organisation behind the biennial Manchester International Festival and Manchester’s landmark new cultural venue, Aviva Studios.

Factory International is delighted to announce Moira Sinclair as its new Chair of Trustees. Sinclair has a wealth of experience in senior roles in the arts and cultural sector and is a graduate of Manchester University. Formerly Executive Director London and South East for Arts Council England, her current role is as Chief Executive of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. She is also Chair of Clore Leadership and Chair of the London Mayor’s Cultural Strategy Board, and a member of the British Library Advisory Council.

As Chair of Factory International, Sinclair will oversee the Board for the organisation that produces and programmes both Manchester International Festival (MIF), and Aviva Studios – the landmark new cultural space which opened last month, creating a global destination for arts, music and culture in the heart of Manchester.

Moira Sinclair OBE says: “My guiding star has always been a commitment to supporting access to the very best, ambitious, thrilling arts and culture, for everyone – artists, producers, audiences – and that is why I am truly honoured to take on the role of Chair of Factory International at such an exciting time for the organisation. I am looking forward to building on Tom Bloxham’s incredible legacy as Chair and to working with John McGrath, the team and my fellow trustees to shape a future full of possibility and purpose.”

John McGrath, Artistic Director & Chief Executive, Factory International says: “I’m so pleased that Moira Sinclair will be joining the team as Chair of the Board of Factory International. Tom has done a fantastic job at leading us through an extraordinary period of growth and transformation, from helping to establish us as one of the most renowned festivals on the international stage to moving into our incredible new home, Aviva Studios. I look forward to working with Moira, whose experience and values are perfectly suited to help us take our next steps as we continue to invent tomorrow together.”

Tom Bloxham MBE says: “It’s been a huge privilege to  lead the Factory International Board since MIF’s  inception and I am immensely grateful to my fellow Board members, who all bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge from the worlds of arts, business, sport, media and civic leadership, as well as John and the whole  Factory International staff team, who have given their time and skills to help us realise our massive ambitions. Now that we have successfully opened Aviva Studios I’m delighted to hand over the baton to Moira next February who I know will do a brilliant job overseeing the organisation as it continues to grow and flourish.”

Designed by Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Aviva Studios is located at the heart of the new St John’s neighbourhood in Manchester. Its development has been led by Manchester City Council, with backing of £99.05m from HM Government and £7m National Lottery funding from Arts Council England.  Built with flexibility in mind, the building is based around large, open, adaptable spaces that can be constantly reconfigured, enabling artists to develop and create large-scale work of invention and ambition of a kind not seen anywhere else in the world. Matching Manchester’s ethos as an ever-evolving city, this dynamic space invites artists to create bold new work by providing a canvas to make, explore and experiment.

Programmed and operated by Factory International, Aviva Studios hosts a year-round programme of original productions and special events across all artforms – from major exhibitions and concerts to intimate performances and immersive experiences.  Over 230k visitors were welcomed to the venue this summer when audiences were given the opportunity to preview the new building with a series of events including a spectacular exhibition by Yayoi Kusama.  The official opening production, the Matrix-inspired Free Your Mind created by Danny Boyle, Es Devlin, Boy Blue co-founders Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy and Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante and Sabrina Mahfouz – launched to sold out audiences and critical acclaim. It was followed by The Welcome, an invitation from local people to celebrate the new cultural space opening in the heart of their city, programmed over two years by a cross-section of Greater Manchester residents.

Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader Manchester City Council, said: “Tom was always going be a hard act to follow and I want to thank him on behalf of the city for his boundless energy, enthusiasm and support over the years since Manchester International Festival first began. Moira brings with her a wealth of experience and commitment to making the very best of world-class arts and culture accessible to everyone and is a perfect fit both for Factory International and our wider cultural ambitions for the city moving forwards.”

Sarah Maxfield, North Area Director, Arts Council England: “We are delighted that Moira Sinclair will be taking up the role as Chair of Factory International. She is joining the organisation at a pivotal moment following the opening of Aviva Studios and her vast experience will help Factory International continue to grow and realise its ambitions. We must also thank Tom Bloxham who in his time as Chair of the organisation from the very beginning has led Manchester International Festival to grow in stature as well as the development of Factory International’s landmark new home. His dedication and commitment have been key to the organisation establishing an international reputation for developing and delivering world class artistic activity.”

Sinclair will take up the post of Chair following Tom Bloxham’s final Board meeting in January 2024.