Applications open today for the 5th edition of Factory International’s Factory Sounds artist development programme, supported by adidas Originals.
Factory International is on the look-out for fifteen emerging artists, bands, producers, collectives, and labels from across Manchester’s grassroots music scene for the 2026 Factory Sounds cohort.
The rising stars selected for the 2026 cohort will receive £1,000 of financial support towards the creation of a new project, skill or development goal; mentoring and peer-to-peer support; performance opportunities; and a series of masterclasses and networking sessions with the Factory International team, and other experts from across the industry.
Factory International is supported for a second year by adidas Originals, allowing the Factory Sounds cohort to increase from ten to fifteen brilliant local groups and individuals and levelling up the opportunities for the 2026 cohort, with access to the first-of-its kind adidas Originals Recording Studio at Co-op Live, engineered by Abbey Road Studios.
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Founded in 2021, Factory Sounds is an annual artist development initiative designed to support and raise the profile of local musicians and people working in the music industry, with a focus on creating opportunities for those most underrepresented in the sector.
To date, Factory Sounds has supported nearly 50 musicians, bands, producers, rappers, singers, collectives, record labels, studios, radio stations, events, and more to: Create music management companies; finance the release of singles, EPs and albums; fit out recording studios; run production workshops; film music videos, and support tours.
The 2025 Factory Sounds cohort included the multi-skilled solo artists, DJs, and Producers RIYA, Superlative, Ewan Sim, Bennettiscoming, Victoria Jane, Olivesque, Grumpy, Tallulah Guard, Shanika Sunrise, Zuri, and Hakeeb Ibrahim; and the incredible bands and collectives Shell Company, PAVÉ, PoolEra, and Beck Pocket.
Other Factory Sounds alumni include: All Hands On Deck, Balraj Singh Samrai, J.Chambers, Lone Taxidermist, Loose Articles, Mali Hayes, OneDa, Rumbi Tauro, Sprechen, Prido, and STEAM Radio MCR.
Factory International is committed to championing the next generation of creatives in Manchester and the North, with a packed programme of further Artist Development opportunities and free Factory Academy creative careers training over the coming year.
Sign-ups are open for Factory Academy’s free Event Ready technical training and Managing Creative Projects courses. This year, Factory Academy is also offering an early-career guide to building a future in music promotion through the new Promoter Academy, in partnership with From The Other, the team behind grassroots festival Sounds From The Other City.
Factory International’s head of music Rivca Burns said: “Factory Sounds is a really unique and exciting opportunity for musicians of Greater Manchester to take that step up, get guidance from professionals to help to grow their career and take creative risks.
“Coming from the grassroots myself it is so important that we continue to support the ever-growing voice of the Greater Manchester music ecology across everything that we do. We have been so lucky to work alongside so many artists across all genres through the first few years of Factory Sounds, and I can’t wait to meet this year’s cohort.”
Applications are also now open for the next Artist Takeover, focused this time on dance and movement, which offers an artist or collective based in the North of England the opportunity to take over the vast South Warehouse at Aviva Studios for a week in February 2026.
Find out more about Artist Development opportunities, including the full list of Factory Sounds alumni and how to apply for Factory Sounds 2026 on the Factory International website.
