Manchester International Festival 2017

Summary

Thank you for joining us this last 18 days and for making the festival a success. Scroll back to remember some of the higlights of MIF 2017 and see you in 2019!
Manchester International Festival ran from 29 June and 16 July 2017
Talk to us @mifestival on twitter & mcrintfestival on Facebook

Live Reporting

the Manchester International Festival team

'10 Mancunian Gestures' - a city scape with a differencepublished at 14:37 BST 9 July 2017
#creative50
Jasmine Walne
MIF17 Creative50

Inspired by utterly unique movement piece 10,000 Gestures, local artist Jasmine Walne has created a series of cityscape photographs that incorporates hand-made collage -in a tribute to Manchester and its people.
Photographed in Manchester's Neo building, it's a bright, colourful and vivid depiction of our beloved city.
Quote Message
I studied hand gestures of the people of Manchester in order to create these manifestations. Each bright, hand painted and cut out shape is my interpretation of the forms I found, collated to create a window installation. The backdrop of Manchester’s cityscape is an important link bringing MIF’s show back to its city in a more permanent way.
Jasmine Walne, Creative50 Artist
See the entire series here, and enjoy this sneak peek below...
Image source, MIF
Check out Jasmine's website here, external, or find her on Twitter., external With thanks to The Neo Building (@Bruntwood_UK , externalon Twitter) for use of their beautiful space
ToGather - starts now, down at the Whitworth Gallerypublished at 14:15 BST 9 July 2017
ToGather

From now until 5pm there's only one place to be - the beautiful Whitworth Park, where you can see a live performance of ToGather, accompanying the brand new exhibition by Susan Hefuna.
But why take our word for it...
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Guy Garvey live from Festival Square - starts in 5 minutespublished at 13:54 BST 9 July 2017
6 Music

The brilliant Elbow frontman is live on 6 Music with a host of amazing MIF guests from 2pm today - including This Is The Place poet Tony Walsh and Kieron Leonard, external, listen up!
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Hear 'This Is The Place' Manchester poet Tony Walsh at 2pmpublished at 13:25 BST 9 July 2017
Live from Festival Square - Guy Garvey's Happy Hour, 6 Music

Image source, MIF
It's the final day of the 6 Music's takeover of Festival Square, and though we'll be sad to see them go, they're certainly going out with a bang.
There's live music from Kiran Leonard, poet Tony Walsh will be along to perform for us and chat about their shared love of Manchester and Elizabeth Alker will be filling you in with her festival highlights
Tony Walsh became an instant Manchester institution after reading his poem This Is The Place at the Albert Square vigil after the Manchester Arena attack. We can't wait to hear him perform live, right here at 2pm - stick on this page, and hit play at the top...
What to do today? Events that embrace the sunshinepublished at 13:01 BST 9 July 2017
Sun's out, fun's out

It's officially too nice to be indoors today. Luckily, even in Manchester, we do plan for such a baffling turn of events. Here's how to make the most of this weather on this glorious Sunday:
Image source, MIF
Music For A Busy City, external
A treasure hunt with a twist - what you're looking for is original, beautiful compositions hidden throughout the city, created especially for the different spaces. Choose a route, pack some sandwiches and hunt down utterly unique music.
Image source, MIF
ToGather, external
ToGather is an exhibition at the Whitworth Art Gallery, but also features a free public performance today, 2-5pm. Developed with 30 participants, using their experiences and stories as inspiration, the performance will see the members of the group trace individual paths through Whitworth Park, joined by dancers from Studio Wayne McGregor, accompanied by a new score by Scanner, and with a digital experience by International Magic.
Manchester Walking Tour, external
Today's walk is entitled Migration and the UK’s Most Amazing Street, and takes in prime landmarks along Oxford Road, telling the story of how immigration boosted Manchester and the UK.
The tour will visit such spectacular interiors as the Central Library, the Principal Hotel and the Holy Name Church, while also passing mighty mills, huge warehouses, two universities and much else besides. The tour ends at the Whitworth, where you can visit Susan Hefuna’s ToGather.
Image source, MIF
Festival Square, external
Live music, classes, pizzas, sweet treats and drinks - it's our beloved festival hub and the atmosphere cannot be beaten. Today's line-up includes Wise - anthemic alt-rock from Manchester, as well as Amnesia Scanner - who blend theatre, cinema and the technological innovations of nightclubs.
See our full schedule for today, external right here - and remember to slap on the Factor 30, be safe out there. Enjoy!
Out of the concert hall and into the citypublished at 12:18 BST 9 July 2017
Music for a Busy City

Music for a Busy City, external takes six leading composers out of the concert hall and into Manchester, making music for the spaces that people pass through every day. SInce it's Sunday, if you're in Manchester why not take a stroll around the town centre and explore these six commissions?
Each piece is up to 10 minutes long and is part of the space that inspired it. They play in rotation every hour, so you can journey around town and hear each one in succession.
The project includes Matthew Herbet, Mohammed Fairouz, Olga Neuwirth, Philip Venables, Huang Ruo and Anna Meredith all providing music for places around Manchester from shopping centres and train stations to the Town Hall.
Anna Meredith has chosen a walkway between two department stores which have lifts either side. Her unique soundtrack is called Chorale for Lifts and is directly affected by the lifts movement as they travel up and down.
Elizabeth Alker spoke to Anna to find out why she chose this particular space…
Media caption,
6 Music chats to Anna about a new composition for Manchester International Festival.
'The walls are covered in cardboard, and we are covered in paint'published at 11:47 BST 9 July 2017
Manchester Street Poem

Karl Hyde talks to Elizabeth Alker about creating Manchester Street Poem, external –transcribing the stories of people with experience of homelessness onto the walls of Manchester gallery Unfear
Media caption,
Karl speaks about the installation featuring people with real experience of homelessness.
You can watch Karl create his poem live right here, external - along with a soundtack by Underworld.
The word on the streetpublished at 11:08 BST 9 July 2017
MIF17

With events happening all over the city, it can be hard to keep track of everything that's going on! Here are some audience reactions from Saturday in the sunshine in Manchester.
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It's Saturday night – time for some musicpublished at 20:29 BST 8 July 2017
MIF17

We're heading off, variously, to Stealing Sheep, external wearing our best outlandish lipstick, to Clark, external for some relentlessly inventive electronica, or to Festival Square for a cold drink in the sunshine, which needs no explanation! Dave Haslem is DJing, external at Festival Square later, which looks unmissable, and we will be back tomorrow morning with all the updates, news and events for your Sunday.
Party hard or sleep well: there's eight days of MIF17 to go.
Image source, MIF
Image caption,
Stealing Sheep
Things I'd Tell My Father - a response to Fatherlandpublished at 19:39 BST 8 July 2017
#creative50
Sarah Eastaff
MIF17 Creative 50

Brilliant local artist Sarah Eastaff has created a workshop and the beginnings of a brand new piece of work, having been inspired by the themes of Fatherland.
Her response to Fatherland, external involved gathering people's anonymous thoughts online with the focus of: Things I'd Tell My Father/Figure. This led to open discussions around intimacy, pride, responsibility, and how we traverse often difficult issues of love and respect.
By Sarah Eastaff, external.
Quote Message
These responses combined with questions used in Fatherland were used as stimulus for a workshop with young people at the Oldham Coliseum Theatre. The poem uploaded here was their final creation. We hope to use this to create a new piece of work in the coming term.
Sarah Eastaff
Image source, Sarah Eastaff
Image caption,
Creative 50 response
You can listen to the poem she created with some Oldham teens right here:
Learn more about Sarah's work on her Twitter. , external
'It changed the face of dance'published at 19:12 BST 8 July 2017
Available Light

Lucinda Childs, choreographer of Available Light, external, picked five pieces of dance that have inspired her. Number five is In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (1987) by William Forsythe and danced by Sylvie Guillem: "it changed the face of dance," she says.
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WOMANchester – the great women of our citypublished at 18:44 BST 8 July 2017
#Creative50
Vicky Boylan
MIF17 Creative 50

Women of Manchester, rise!
WOMANchester is brilliant #creative50 response to our shows What Is the City but the People?, external and What if Women Ruled the World?, external
This collage and poem pay homage to some of the most inspiring women of Manchester – women who have lived and worked in Manchester or made a significant impact on our great city. Take a look, and be filled with pride.
Image source, Vicky Boylan, Ella Otomewo, Nick Chaffe
Image caption,
WOMANchester
Image source, Vicky Boylan, Ella Otomewo, Nick Chaffe
Image caption,
Creative 50 WOMANchester
Learn more about Vicky Boylan's wonderful work right here., external
Photo Collage by Vicky BoylanPoem written by Ella Otomewo, external Poem illustrated by Nick Chaffe, external#creative50
Choreographing for Radioheadpublished at 18:17 BST 8 July 2017
Interdependence

Wayne McGregor, who spoke at Interdependence this morning about how technology has influenced his work, choreographed for Radiohead's Lotus Flower. Watch below!
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'If we are not careful perhaps it will be human nature that is left derelict. 'published at 18:02 BST 8 July 2017
Creative 50

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Quote Message
I was inspired by the form of Last and First Men. The multi-faceted layers of composition, film and story. During my time with MIF we have been learning a lot about digital technology. Although I was inspired by the form, I allowed myself to explore my own feelings of future, particularly inspired by my new learning. A potential future of how technology can decay our connections. I made this art entirely on my own. With just lots of different types of equipment. It was very lonely. It may not be the best technology. Sometimes I get confused as to which part is more important. It is very different to how I often make art, with people, and spaces. And things. And feeling together. If we are not careful perhaps it will be human nature that is left derelict.
Kate Radford
http://tinymetalislands.weebly.com, external @kateradtheatre, external @feminhism, external
Lucinda Childs' inspiring dance piecespublished at 17:29 BST 8 July 2017
Available Light

Stravinsky Violin Concerto (1972) by George Balanchine: "an extraordinary collaboration with the composer", says Lucinda Childs, choreographer of Available Light, external. The show is on for the last time tonight at the Palace Theatre.
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'We do a bit of clog-dancing in it...'published at 17:19 BST 8 July 2017
Cotton Panic!

Jane Horrocks and Wrangler's Stephen Mallinder detail the production behind Cotton Panic!, external, their musical drama collaboration set during the Lancashire cotton famine of the 1860s. Learn more below – the show opens tonight, external!
Media caption,
Jane and Stephen Mallinder reveal the details behind their musical drama collaboration.
'We are all working for Google and Facebook'published at 17:06 BST 8 July 2017
Interdependence

We heard from Birgitta Jónsdóttir at Interdependence: We Need to Talk About Technology this morning. If you'd like to hear more, watch her TED Talk about how we are all part of a much larger system, linked by our computers and smart phones.
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Vital theatre – we've got to talk about migration, movement and refugeespublished at 16:39 BST 8 July 2017
The Welcoming Party

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Meet the speakers: Liam Gillickpublished at 16:27 BST 8 July 2017
Interdependence

Artist Liam Gillick has had his work presented at the Venice and Istanbul Biennales, and had solo exhibitions at MoMA and the Tate. He has collaborated with New Order for their MIF17 gigs, transforming the historic Stage 1 into an immersive environment, creating a stage set that reacts dynamically to the music.
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Meet the speakers: Matthew Higgspublished at 16:19 BST 8 July 2017
Interdependence

Matthew Higgs is an artist, curator, writer and publisher. He created Imprint 93, which has featured the work of artists including Martin Creed and Jeremy Deller. He is currently Director of White Columns in New York, and was a Turner Prize judge in 2006.
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Quote Message
I've never met anyone who got into art from going to galleries. Everyone comes to art in different ways, but for a lot of people music is the gateway.
Matthew Higgs