Guided by host Gemma Cairney, Nish reflects on the energies of the world’s great cities from his home of London to Mumbai to Melbourne. Enter a Dream Space where Manhattan skyscrapers meet Parisian boulevards in a series of contrasting neighbourhoods. Communities live alongside one another in cheap, floating housing with 100% renewable energy and flying wind turbines.  

Covering everything from the importance of grassroots venues to the dangers of AI, Nish asks us to imagine a more optimistic version of our present cities. 

Nish Kumar is a comedian, broadcaster and podcast host known for his social and political commentary. He hosts Pod Save the UK with journalist Coco Khan and has toured his stand-up show Nish Don’t Kill My Vibe around the world including at Aviva Studios.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Riffing on the oral traditions of Benin where she was born, for her Dream Space Angelique invites listeners to envision themselves as a tree – the roots our value systems, the trunk our self and the branches our choices. Reflecting on how nature works in cycles – how a tree loses its leaves annually in order to renew – Angelique contrasts this with our modern world where we’re so accustomed to getting everything we want immediately and running ourselves off our feet year-round.  

The lifelong campaigner for women’s rights, healthcare and climate change imparts a wealth of wisdom throughout the conversation – from nature’s nurturing powers and not holding grudges to remembering humour and humility when times are tough (something she notes her friend and mentor Nelson Mandela did).  

With seventeen albums under her belt that exude elation, it’s no surprise that in Angelique’s Dream Space she invites us to live in the spirit of joy. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DJ, curator, music journalist and radio presenter reflects on her experiences of growing up in a small Northern town, cutting her teeth in pirate radio, and how her punk, do-it-yourself spirit has shaped her life, career and point of view.  

Drawing on these life experiences, in Mary Anne Hobbs’ Dream Space, young artists are given the financial support, time and care to develop their ideas, learn from the older generation and flourish. Inspired by the DIY attitude of pirate radio, her Dream Space invites young people from across the UK to hack and takeover all social media, TV and radio channels and broadcast ‘The Culture Forecast’ every night – forcing the rest of the country to pay attention to the amazing art they’re making. 

Guided expertly by host Gemma Cairney who also touches on her non-linear path into broadcasting and the arts, this Dream Space is all about giving the next generation a foot in the door and a shot to shape the culture.  

Mary Anne Hobbs is a DJ, curator, music journalist and broadcaster. In 2025, she premiered WHAT DO YOU WANT? at Manchester International Festival – an electrifying fusion of live DJing, sound design, violins, viola and live electronics, created in collaboration with Anna Phoebe. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guided by host Gemma Cairney, Terence imagines a dark space where sound is the only guide. He talks about connecting with our bodies through movement, thinking, listening and stillness – taking us on a journey from dance techniques to Indian philosophy.  

Terence Lewis is a multi-award-winning Indian dance, singer and choreographer – best known for judging the reality dance show Dance India Dance. He is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Terence Lewis Dance Company in Mumbai – one of two dance companies behind Keith Khan’s The Accountants, which premiered at Aviva Studios in May 2024.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Juliet’s Dream Space reflects on serendipity – how she happened upon meditation by chance – and encourages creativity in all forms. Grounded in the power of meditation, everyone is welcome into this Dream Space. Tranquil, deep and contemplative, Juliet even guides host Gemma Cairney and listeners through an exercise to quiet the mind.  

Juliet Ellis is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, theatre maker and filmmaker. She released her first feature film in 2021, Ruby, which won Best Drama at Berlin Independent Film Festival and the Fellini Award at Austin Arthouse Film Festival. In 2025, Juliet premiered the film and installation work A Symphony of Flesh and Bones at Manchester International Festival to critical acclaim. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guided by host Gemma Cairney, Nubya imagines a playful, freeing space where music is a universal language. Reflecting on learning to improvise as a teenager, she asks us to let go and respond to the creative energies of the space. Try pottery making, painting, singing or just moving!

Nubya Garcia is a multi-award-winning jazz musician based in London. In 2021, her debut album Source was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Last year, she released her second solo album Odyssey to rave reviews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guided by host Gemma Cairney, Amrou imagines a euphoric rave inside a blanket of cosmic dust. There is no sense of time or urgency. Reflecting on queerness in his work, Amrou describes a space where everyone just is – people scream, cry and laugh like children without being judged.  

Amrou Al-Kadhi's work focuses on queer identity, politics and storytelling. Their debut book Life as a Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything In Between won the Polari First Book Prize and the Somerset Maugham Award. Their debut feature film Layla – a coming-of-age story set in London, about an Arab drag queen’s first love – premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Dream Space, Lotte takes up the invitation to wander, dream and imagine something beyond the rigidity of sport. The result is a place without hierarchy, where the collective matters more than the individual. Rooted in her passion for grassroots football, her dream is to lift others up, creating a game – and a world – where freedom and community sit at the centre.  

Guided by host Gemma Cairney, Lotte reflects on creativity, belonging and possibility. Her dream space isn’t just for footballers (though Ian Wright and her Arsenal teammates are invited – alongside the artist Olafur Eliasson) it’s for everyone who believes in the joy of building something bigger, together. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guided by host Gemma Cairney, Max Porter imagines a psychedelic forest where visitors gain a superpower that reveals the complex life cycle of each living thing – from the trees to fellow human beings.  

Reflecting on the importance of freedom and activism in his work, Max Porter talks animism, empathy and pacifism as well as the radical potential of widening our roles as caregivers in our divided times.   

Max Porter is an award-winning writer, who works across fiction, film and theatre. He rose to prominence for his outstanding debut Grief is a Thing with Feathers (2015). For MIF21, Max Porter worked with director Aoife McArdle on the film All of This Unreal Time, starring Cillian Murphy with music from Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner (of The National) and Jon Hopkins.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reflecting on key works in career, including The Artist Is Present at MoMA and her seven-minute, silent intervention on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival, Marina expands on her relationship with art, spirituality, old age and dreaming – imagining a space without ego or categories.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join host Gemma Cairney in the dream space with guests including Marina Abramović, Max Porter, Nubya Garcia and Lotte Wubben-Moy, who are all fascinated by our capacity to dream.  

Dream Space takes listeners on a journey through an imaginary, limitless space. Infinite resources. A blank canvas. The challenge? Create your dream artistic utopia.   

What sights, sounds, tastes and conversations shape your experience? Which musicians, artists, film director or theatre practitioners feature in your dream? 

In each episode we get to know our guest, find out what makes them tick, what brings them joy and inspiration. Together we create a new vision, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and ask what kind of art the world needs today. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Known for her eclectic productions spanning techno, house, and classical orchestral music, Afrodeutsche is also the host of BBC Radio 6 Music’s People’s Party every Friday evening.

Dream Space is a Reduced Listening production for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Silvia Malnati, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning Palestinian playwright and director Amir Nizar Zuabi invites us on a journey in this week’s episode of Dream Space. We travel along ancient routes, filled with the scent of spices and the taste of fresh dates, toward infinite possibilities and knowledge in 12th-century Baghdad and the Library of Alexandria.

Zuabi, the founding Artistic Director of ShiberHur Theater Company in Palestine, is also an Associate Director at the Young Vic Theatre and a member of United Theaters Europe for artistic achievement. His latest project, The Herds, follows life-size puppet animals as they journey from West Africa to Norway, escaping climate disaster.

Dream Space is a Reduced Listening production for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Tess Davidson, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Gander, based in Suffolk, is known for his expansive body of work spanning sculpture, writing, architecture, and performance. Describing himself as a “neo-conceptual no-style-style amateur philosopher,” Gander’s art explores themes of language, time, and knowledge. His accolades include an OBE in 2017, the Hodder Fellowship at Princeton University in 2019, and becoming a Royal Academician in 2022. 

For MIF23, Gander created The Find, hiding thousands of collectable coins across Manchester.

Hosted by Gemma Cairney, Dream Space is a Reduced Listening production for Factory International. This episode was produced by Silvia Malnati, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life can feel overwhelming at times. Everything moves so fast, and there are never enough hours in the day. But in Benji's Dream Space, this will never be a problem. Instead, he imagines a world that exists when you’re ready to move at a pace that works for you. A space where time doesn’t exist – and there is a library of souls to be inspired by, lined with red trees and soft clouds to wade through.  

Benji Reid first trained as a dancer before forming his hip hop theatre company Breaking Cycles which he has toured globally. Through his work, he explores the themes of the Black British experience, Black masculinity, and mental health. Benji's show at the 2023 edition of Manchester International Festival, Find Your Eyes, invited audiences to watch him craft his photography in real time – blending theatre and dance with photography.  

Dream Space is a Reduced Listening production for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Tess Davidson, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David is a bit of a Manchester icon. From performing as his infamous alter-ego ‘The Divine David’ on the stages of underground clubs to presenting his own show on Channel 4 in the '90s, over the past four decades David has never stopped developing his artistic practice, exploring the themes of gender, mental health, capitalism, revolution and more… 

To celebrate over 40 years of his work, in Spring 2024, Factory International hosted Please Feel Free to Ignore My Work at the Aviva Studios, where David opened the door to his outrageous and moving world. 

Dream Space is a Reduced Listening production for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Silvia Malnati, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zawe Ashton, known for her roles in Marvel Studios' The Marvels, Channel 4’s Fresh Meat and her acclaimed performances in Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, shares her unique vision of a world where memories and imagination intertwine.

Hosted by Gemma Cairney, Dream Space is produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International. This episode was produced by Tess Davidson, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gazelle Twin, aka Elizabeth Bernholz, is an artist whose work is radical, sometimes political, and almost always personal. 2023 saw her confront the ghosts of her past through her fourth solo studio album Black Dog, as well as write an original soundtrack for the Sky Max thriller series Then You Run featuring Vivian Oparah. 

For Factory International, Gazelle Twin worked alongside Maxine Peake, Sarah Frankcom, Imogen Knight and Daisy Johnson on Robin/Red/Breast, a live performance that blurred the boundaries between theatre, art and music, and tackled complex issues around fertility, violence and power. 

Dream Space is produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Nada Smiljanic, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For his dream world expect dance, The Matrix, a suite of 80s Ford Escorts and the delicious smells of mango and coriander...

Hetain Patel is currently working on The Hobby Cave - an ambitious celebration of our favourite hobbies, which is led by Artangel with a network of 13 partnering organisations including Factory International. 

Dream Space is produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Silvia Malnati, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winner of the 2022 DJ Mag Top 100 Lifetime Achievement Award, DJ Paulette is an acclaimed DJ across UK and Europe, born, raised and based in Manchester. Over a thirty-year career, she has played some of the biggest clubs in the world and brought joy through her sets from The Hacienda in Manchester in the nineties – where she was one of two women to have a monthly residency – to London, Paris, Ibiza and beyond. 

Her debut book ‘Welcome To The Club: The Life and Lessons of a black Woman DJ’ was published in January 2024 by Manchester University Press.

Dream Space is produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International, hosted by Gemma Cairney. This episode was produced by Tess Davidson, with sound design by Femi Oriogun-Williams, and theme music by Andrew PM Hunt. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring guests such as actor Zawe Ashton, artists Hetain Patel, Benji Reid, Ryan Gander and David Hoyle, musicians Gazelle Twin, Afrodeutsche and DJ Paulette and Director Amir Nizar Zuabi, listeners will encounter visions of the future dreamt up by some of the world’s leading creative minds.

Open your mind, get relaxed, and let's get dreaming.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As an artist, Danielle's work seeks to archive Black trans experiences, using technology to imagine environments that centre their bodies. These often come in the form of video games - letting the audience become immersed in Danielle’s worlds, asking them to reflect on their own identities.

For Factory International, Danielle has created I CAN'T FOLLOW YOU ANYMORE - a browser-based video game that explores the idea of a Black Trans revolution. In the glitchy style of a 90’s PlayStation One horror game, the player must dance or fight to convert others to their ideology whilst facing positions which challenge their own.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Es Devlin has worked with some of the biggest superstars on the planet. Known for creating entire worlds on stage, Es is the subject of the Netflix documentary series Abstract: The Art Of Design and her immersive, sculptural work has been installed at the Tate Modern Gardens, COP26 and Superblue Miami.

For Factory International, Es Devlin brings her magic to Aviva Studios with an iconic set for our huge opening show Free Your Mind. Can't get enough? Her monumental, immersive installation An Atlas of Es Devlin takes over the vast warehouse space during the day.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nabihah Iqbal is a musician, DJ, writer and broadcaster. In 2023, she has been busy curating Brighton Festival and touring her latest album DREAMER – a record she created during the early months of 2020, after her studio was burgled and long-awaited album lost.

For Factory International, Nabihah Iqbal produced the music for Factory Works – an audio artwork created by artist Neville Gabie in collaboration with construction workers and manufacturers involved in the creation of Aviva Studios.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alongside this, for over seven years Blackstock has been developing TRAPLORD. Co-commissioned by Factory International, the project was concocted in an abandoned East London leisure centre and touches on themes of masculinity, mental health and race, and has recently won an Olivier Award for ‘best new dance production’.

This is Ivan Blackstock’s Dream Space…

Music from Traplord: Torben Sylvest - Producer

Kaaris - Chargé (Mr. Carmack Remix)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Her own particular style of filmmaking is distinctive, switching between eras and locations in a process she describes as “cosmic archaeology”. She’s directed documentaries, cinematic shorts, and music videos - including the critically acclaimed music video for Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl", which won the Best Music Video award at the 2021 Grammys.

For Factory International , Jenn is creating a brand new film which reflects on space, time and memory, intertwining Manchester’s industrial history with modern-day architecture, paying homage to the people and culture that make up a city…

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sabrina Mahfouz is a multifaceted playwright, lyricist, poet and screenwriter. Her critically acclaimed work includes the theatre adaptation of Noughts & Crosses and memoir These Bodies of Water. She explores themes around class, inequality and her British, Egyptian and Guyanese heritage.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They are the author of three critically acclaimed poetry collections, including Homie and Don’t Call Us Dead which won the Forward Prize for Best Collection and delves into the intricacies of their identity as Black, queer and HIV positive. They once described their work as a chance to 'peer into the surreal edge at another version of us'.

For MIF23, Danez Smith set the creative tone for a lock-in at Manchester’s Contact Theatre in honour of its 50th anniversary. A collaboration between Factory International and Contact, 50 Hours of Freedom invited three local artists to make new work in 50 hours which was performed in front of a live audience, all inspired by a brief given by Danez.

Produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

factoryinternational.org/dreamspace

Produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

factoryinternational.org/dreamspace

Produced by Reduced Listening for Factory International.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.