John E. McGrath is Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International, which runs Manchester International Festival and operates the city’s landmark new cultural space, Aviva Studios. Appointed in 2015 to lead Manchester International Festival (MIF) and develop its venue, Aviva Studios, McGrath has since curated four festivals while leading the vision and strategy for Factory International. He was previously founding Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales, commissioning landmark site-specific work such as Michael Sheen’s The Passion of Port Talbot and Mike Pearson’s The Persians. He has also been Artistic Director of Contact, and Associate Director at legendary New York experimental company Mabou Mines.