As one of the UK’s most ambitious cultural organisations, Factory International has built a reputation for helping artists realise bold creative visions.
From immersive installations and large-scale projection environments to experimental live performances, the Manchester-based organisation continues to explore how technology can deepen audience engagement while expanding the possibilities of artistic expression.
At the heart of many of these experiences is Panasonic projection technology. Factory International’s projection inventory includes Panasonic PT-RQ35K and PT-RQ25K 3-Chip DLP laser projectors, used to support productions at Aviva Studios and across its internationally renowned Manchester International Festival (MIF).
“We started as an organisation called Manchester International Festival, where we essentially take artists from all over the world, bring them to Manchester, make new work, and then take that work and the brand of Manchester around the world,” explains Paul Moore, Technical Director at Factory International.
MIF has earned its place as a staple of UK culture and has featured famed creators like Laurie Anderson, Björk, David Lynch, Janelle Monáe, the XX, Johnny Vegas, and countless other household names.
Today, Factory International operates Aviva Studios, a purpose-built cultural venue designed to support a wide range of artistic disciplines and technical requirements.
The goal is not just to showcase known artists but to shine a light on emerging talent, and the team takes its mission very seriously. Even the tiniest operational details are fine-tuned to support the organisation’s mission: to “invent tomorrow together.”
Creating a space for experimentation
A defining characteristic of Factory International is its commitment to artistic experimentation. Through dedicated development programmes, artists are encouraged to explore new technologies and creative approaches before committing them to major productions.
“We have a programme that allows artists to experiment and find out what works for them, so that when they come to make projects down the line, they’ve had time to experiment and learn and play,” Moore says.
This approach has led to artists exploring everything from projection mapping and immersive video environments to live camera systems and emerging digital technologies.
“We’ve often had artists that will try and challenge what we’re doing with projection, what we’re doing with video, or any technology really,” Moore explains. “Sometimes it’s very obvious, sometimes it’s much more subtle.”
The result is a creative environment where technology becomes an integral part of artistic practice rather than simply a production tool.
“Bring the art forward”
LED displays and video walls have become increasingly common across the live events industry, and Factory International has used the technology along with projection.
Still, while both approaches have their own benefits depending on each artistic vision, the team at Factory International continues to see projection as a uniquely valuable medium for artistic storytelling. For Moore in particular, projection offers creative possibilities that extend beyond image quality alone.
“Projection allows video to live in a different world,” he says. “It allows it to stop being about what the medium is and about what the art is.”
Unlike LED displays, which naturally draw attention to themselves as physical objects within a space, projection can become almost invisible, allowing artists to integrate moving imagery directly into their environments and scenic designs.
Factory International has used projection in a wide variety of ways, from large-scale immersive installations to subtle scenic enhancements that audiences may not even consciously recognise.
That ability to disappear into an environment is physical as well as visual. Acoustic performance was an important consideration at Factory International, particularly where projection equipment would operate close to audiences.
The PT-RQ35K is rated at 49 dB in Normal mode and 46 dB in Quiet mode, while the PT-RQ25K is rated at 46 dB in Normal/Eco mode and 43 dB in Quiet mode.
“We worked with Panasonic on what the noise level would be and what the heat output would be, so that we knew it would fit into the space we’ve got for it,” Moore explains. “The projectors sit very close to audiences in some locations, so those considerations were really important.”
“Projection for me will bring the art forward,” Moore added. “You can add texture, atmosphere and detail without it becoming the focus of the piece.”
This flexibility is particularly important in theatre and performance environments, where lighting, staging and visual design must work together seamlessly.
“We shouldn’t fear technology”
Over the years, Factory International has delivered an impressive range of projection-driven experiences.
Among Moore’s personal highlights is Atmospheric Memory, an immersive installation created by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer for the Manchester International Festival.
Constructed using stacked shipping containers, the installation surrounded visitors with projected artworks and interactive digital experiences before touring internationally.
“It had a wall of pixelated smoke, so you could kind of create imagery within that, and the projection on the ceiling became a projection on the floor,” Moore says, noting that as the show moved to new locations, the artwork and projection setup was adapted to create a custom experience in each new space. “It was a big show, but really quite good fun to work with, actually.”
More recently, Factory International collaborated with pioneering artist Laurie Anderson on a production that incorporated electronic music, live camera feeds, green screen technologies and early forms of AI-generated content.
“It was amazing to see the way an established artist is using technology to keep innovating — the way she played with these tools in a relatively experimental way, but involving the audience and taking them into that world,” Moore said.
For Moore, these projects demonstrate how artists continue to find new and unexpected ways to use digital technologies.
“Good art is good art,” he said. “We shouldn’t fear technology. We should look at how to use it so that it suits our artistic need.”
Panasonic: a trusted creative partner
To support such a broad range of artistic and technical requirements, Factory International selected Panasonic’s PT-RQ35K and PT-RQ25K 3-Chip DLP laser projectors.
The PT-RQ35K combines 30,500 lumens of light output with 4K imaging, while the more compact PT-RQ25K delivers 20,000 lumens with 4K imaging, giving the technical team a flexible projection toolkit for productions operating at very different scales.
AV integrator Adlib played an important role in the venue’s technical infrastructure, supplying Panasonic projection equipment and helping to develop the wider video systems supporting Aviva Studios’ diverse production requirements.
According to Moore, reliability remains one of the most important factors.
“Panasonic make a very good quality, reliable projector,” he says. “Reliability is really strong.”
Factory International also worked closely with Panasonic during the design and deployment process to ensure the technology would integrate seamlessly into the venue.
Alongside reliability, Moore highlights Panasonic’s balance of performance, usability and long-term value.
“It’s not about buying the cheapest thing possible,” he said. “It’s about value for money. Panasonic delivers very good quality, good light output, low noise and projectors that are very usable.”
Inventing tomorrow together
As artists continue exploring new forms of digital expression, Factory International expects projection technology to remain a central part of the creative toolkit.
Whether supporting emerging artists experimenting with new ideas or helping internationally renowned creators realise ambitious productions, projection continues to offer a unique combination of flexibility, subtlety and immersion.
For Moore, that enduring relevance explains why projection remains such an important artistic medium.
“It allows video to stop being about the technology and become about the art,” he said.
And after more than three decades working across the industry, Panasonic remains his trusted choice.
“I’ve used Panasonic projectors for most of my career — so, probably about 30 years now,” Moore concluded. “I’ve always gone to Panasonic, and they’ve always been really good.”
www.factoryinternational.org | www.adlib.co.uk | https://eu.connect.panasonic.com
