Factory International, the team behind Manchester’s Aviva Studios and the Manchester International Festival, has named Scott McVittie as its new Executive Commercial Director to drive its commercial strategy and cement Aviva Studios as a global cultural powerhouse.

Named one of TIME magazine’s 100 best places to visit, Aviva Studios has fast become a cornerstone of Manchester’s cultural scene, welcoming 700,000 visitors since its opening last October. With 81% travelling specifically to Manchester to visit the venue, it is set to contribute £1.1 billion to the economy over the next decade.
As part of its mission to make the arts accessible to everyone, 21,000 people accessed Aviva £10 tickets as part of its affordable ticket strategy. Nestled in Manchester’s St John’s neighbourhood, the venue is a hub where innovation, creativity, and community converge.
McVittie brings over 15 years of commercial strategy experience from cultural giants like Toronto’s Luminato Festival and OVO Arena Wembley. He joins Factory International’s leadership team alongside Artistic Director and Chief Executive John McGrath, Creative Director Low Kee Hong, Executive Director Sheena Wrigley and Chief Financial Officer Karen Bass.
McVittie’s remit includes further establishing Aviva Studios as a leading destination, for commercial events, brand partnerships, philanthropic giving, hospitality experiences, and live music.
He will drive commercial revenue growth, ensuring the work of Factory International is supported by a sustainable financial foundation. Through partnerships with some of the world’s most innovative and creative brands, he will lead the execution of impactful activations and programmes that reflect Manchester’s rich cultural fabric. He will also spearhead philanthropic initiatives designed to connect arts and culture donors with the next generation of Northern artists.
McVittie will also strengthen the venue’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading live music venues, which has hosted global superstars Johnny Marr and Fontaines DC, and emerging artists such as Romy.
He joins with a wealth of experience in transformative roles, including building Skylight Bars at Tobacco Dock from a pop-up hospitality operation into two of London’s most exciting venues. He will use this expertise to further develop innovative hospitality experiences in the venue’s ground floor Social and riverside areas — cementing Aviva Studios as the ‘must visit’ destination in the city.
John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive at Factory International said: “Scott’s approach to growth and his ability to create impactful initiatives is perfectly aligned with Factory International’s ambitions to drive social change through arts and culture. His experience and vision will elevate our presence and excite brands about what we can achieve together.”
Scott McVittie, Executive Commercial Director at Factory International said: “Aviva Studios is a place that is changing the artistic fabric of the UK, and I’m excited to help shape its future as a leading arts and entertainment hub for Greater Manchester and beyond.
“The team are incredibly talented, and I’m looking forward to working with them to drive an impactful commercial strategy that will strengthen the organisation’s appeal and highlight the vast potential of Aviva Studios.”
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Press contact
Basmah Ali, MC2
+44 (0)7902 751025
About Factory International and Aviva Studios
Factory International is the organisation behind both Manchester International Festival (MIF), and Aviva Studios, the landmark new cultural space in the heart of Manchester, creating a global destination for arts, music, and culture.
Factory International commissions, produces and presents a year-round programme of original creative work and special events at Aviva Studios, its landmark new home in Manchester, online, and internationally through its network of co-commissioners and partners. It also stages the city-wide Manchester International Festival every other year.
The design of Aviva Studios was led by Ellen van Loon of the world-leading practice Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). 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. A unique canvas to make, explore and experiment, audiences can enjoy the broadest range of art forms from major exhibitions and concerts to intimate performances and immersive experiences. The venue’s development was led by Manchester City Council, with backing of £99.05m from HM Government and £7m National Lottery funding from Arts Council England.
Factory International builds on the legacy of Manchester International Festival, one of the world’s leading arts festivals, and the first to be entirely focused on the commissioning and producing of ambitious new work. Staged every two years in Manchester since 2007, world-renowned artists from different art forms and backgrounds create dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking new work in venues and spaces across Greater Manchester.
Factory International plays an important role in the lives of Greater Manchester residents, bringing jobs, skills, training and creative opportunities. Through the Factory Academy, Factory International is training the creative workforce of the future, while its pioneering creative engagement and artist development programmes create year-round opportunities for local people to get involved, from participating in flagship commissions to shaping the organisation through involvement in its public forums.