Future Flares Festival returns for a 3rd Edition to explore our changing world through art, performance and play

New performance, for here and now

Future Flares Festival returns once again, bringing a vibrant programme of performances, talks and workshops that explore some of the biggest questions facing us today.

Started in 2023, building on the Flare International Festival of New Theatre, 2011-2019, Manchester School of Theatre and Manchester School of Art present a three day, public facing, performance festival with an established and growing national and international profile

The Festival will combine a curation of contemporary theatre performances by international artists Melissa Guex, Clément Grin and Mechanimal, exploring the connection between formal innovation and social/political engagement, alongside public performance research projects by members of MMU’s Performance Research Group and the Department of Art and Performance detailed below, presented in the form of performances, demonstrations and workshops.

There will also be creative engagement workshops open to the public, run by the artists and major external partners, professional networking opportunities and a panel discussion event with representatives from major, national, socially engaged arts organisations (inc. The Lowry, Contact Theatre and Sick! Festival).

The performances are open to all. Please see the individual event pages for ticketing and booking details

Full Programme

Alongside our public performances, Future Flares Festival includes workshops, presentations/talks and a panel discussion.

Wednesday 22 January 2025

• Presentation and discussion: Theatre and sustainability – Tom Bailey (Mechanimal)
  1 – 1.50pm, Grosvenor East Performance Studio (1.04)
• Workshop: Theatre and Social Engagement – Sick! Festival
  2 – 5pm, Grosvenor East Building (Studio 1.09)
• Performance: Vigil – Mechanimal
  6 – 6.50pm, Grosvenor East Performance Studio (1.04)
• Performance: Deluge – Gabriela Flarys and Andrea Maciel
  7.30 – 8.30pm, Grosvenor East Studio Theatre (GF.11)
• Walking Tour: A Night Grit Walk – Dan Dubowitz
  8.30 – 9.15pm, meet in Grosvenor East foyer. Ends in Sureshot Taproom, Sheffield St M1 2DN

Thursday 23 January 2025

• Workshop: Contemporary dance and creative reflection – Dr Rachel Rimmer-Piekarczyk
  10am – 1pm and 1.30 – 2pm (public sharing), Grosvenor East Performance Studio (1.04)
• Panel Discussion: Innovative Performance and Social Engagement with Neil Mackenzie (Future Flares Curator), Tracy Gentles (Sick! Festival), Matthew Eames (The Lowry), Lowri Evans (artist), Jack Dale-Dowd (Contact Theatre)
  1.30 – 3pm, Grosvenor East Building, Room 3.13
• Performance (work in progress): Journey’s End Working Title – Neil Mackenzie, Mole Wetherell and Phoebe Woodbridge
  5.30 – 5.50pm, Grosvenor East Building (Studio 1.10)
• Performance: 30 Minute Set – Lewys Holt
  6.30 – 7pm, Grosvenor East Performance Studio (1.04)
• Performance: Get Off – Katy Baird
  7.30 – 8.30pm, Grosvenor East Studio Theatre (GF.11)

Friday 24 January 2025

• Workshop: Contemporary dance and creative reflection – Dr Rachel Rimmer-Piekarczyk
  10am – 1pm and 1.30 – 2pm (public sharing), Grosvenor East Performance Studio (1.04)
• Workshop and talk: Get Out of the Theatre! – Lowri Evans
  10am – 1pm, Grosvenor East Studio Theatre (GF.11)
• Performance (work-in-progress): A Seventh Man – Michael Pinchbeck and Ollie Smith
  12 – 12.45pm and 2 – 2.45pm, Grosvenor East Building (Studio 1.09)
• Promenade performance: Vermisserin (Eng. the female surveyor) (draft 3) – Brigitte Jurack
  1 – 2pm, Grosvenor East Building (Studio 1.10)
• Closing reception hosted by the Performance Research Group
  3 – 4.30pm, Grosvenor East Performance Studio (1.04)

This series of events is supported by AHEAD, the public engagement programme of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Manchester Metropolitan University.

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