Factory International Appoints Rivca Burns as Head of Music

Factory International has appointed Rivca Burns as its new head of music. Burns will oversee Factory International’s year-round music program at Manchester’s Aviva Studios and the extensive music offerings for the biennial Manchester International Festival (MIF). With 15 years of experience as a freelance creative producer, Burns has directed From the Other, home to innovative festivals like Sounds From the Other City in Salford, the experimental Fat Out Fest, and the Samarbeta music residency program. She also co-chairs the Greater Manchester Music Commission and serves on the Board of Manchester Music Cities. Since 2019, Burns has produced and programmed Festival Square for the Manchester International Festival, transforming it into a key venue for free live music. The 2023 edition featured over 190 performers and attracted 83,000 visitors. In 2021, she was honored as a Local Hero for her contributions to grassroots music at the AIM Awards. Burns has been the acting head of music for Factory International since January 2024 and has already curated several events at Aviva Studios, including the first show from ANOHNI and the Johnsons in a decade, a three-day residency by Janelle Monáe, and a two-day in-the-round residency with Mercury Prize winner Sampha, featuring local artists The KTNA, DJ Paulette, and Isaiah Hull. In her new role, Burns will develop a year-round program spanning various music genres for the versatile spaces at Aviva Studios. This includes in-house concerts and collaborations with local and national promoters, as well as contributions to the biennial festival. Working with teams across the organization, she will enhance the venue’s acclaimed acoustics and welcoming atmosphere for both audiences and artists. Burns will also lead Factory International’s efforts to support emerging artists through initiatives like Factory Sounds. Burns stated, “I’m really excited and honoured to be taking on such a huge role within a thriving musical community that I care so deeply about, and which has supported and nurtured me for nearly two decades. I bring with me an authentic and collaborative attitude, a passion and a drive to really challenge audience expectations of what live music can be. “Factory International and Aviva Studios are world-class and working with musicians from across the world, the UK and locally to thrive, experiment and wow audiences is going to be a truly exciting adventure.”