Factory International Leans on Panasonic Laser Projection Over LED for Live Art
2026-10-26 · via invidis
Factory International, the Manchester cultural organization behind Aviva Studios and the Manchester International Festival, is sticking with laser projection rather than LED for its immersive installations and experimental performances. The choice matters for anyone specifying display technology for live events, because it runs counter to the industry's broader shift toward LED video walls in entertainment and staging.
According to Factory International, the organization uses Panasonic 4K laser projectors, supplied and installed by AV integrator Adlib, across a range of productions at Aviva Studios. Paul Moore, the venue's Technical Director, says the appeal of projection is that it does not read as a physical object the way an LED panel does. "Projection allows video to live in a different world," Moore says. "It allows it to stop being about what the medium is and about what the art is."
That is a direct contrast with LED, which Moore notes remains a visible, physical element of any stage or set regardless of content. Projection, by comparison, can wrap around architecture, scenery or performers, which is why Factory International uses it for work where the goal is atmosphere rather than a defined screen.
The organization uses both LED and projection depending on the production, picking whichever technology serves the artist's vision rather than defaulting to one. It also runs development programs that let artists test projection mapping, live video and other digital techniques before scaling them up to full productions.
Two projects cited in the announcement show the range of this approach. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Atmospheric Memory, built from stacked shipping containers, combined projected imagery, interactive digital environments and a wall of pixelated smoke used as a display surface. The installation later toured to other venues, with its projection setup reconfigured each time. Laurie Anderson's collaboration with Factory International mixed live camera feeds, green-screen work and early AI-generated visuals with electronic music.
On the technical side, Factory International says equipment noise and heat output were priorities when specifying its projector inventory, since units are sometimes placed close to audiences in immersive settings. The announcement does not detail specific Panasonic model numbers, brightness levels, throw distances or costs involved in the Adlib installation, so operators evaluating similar laser projection setups for close-proximity, audience-adjacent use will need to follow up with Panasonic or Adlib directly for those specs.
For venues weighing LED against projection for immersive or experiential work, Factory International's framing is less about one technology replacing the other and more about matching the tool to how visible the hardware should be within the finished piece.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
At Manchester's Aviva Studios, Panasonic laser projectors help artists integrate digital imagery into performances and installations without making the technology the center of attention.
As LED displays become increasingly common in live entertainment and immersive environments, Factory International in Manchester is demonstrating why projection continues to play an important role in artistic productions.
The UK cultural organization, which operates Aviva Studios and produces the Manchester International Festival, uses Panasonic laser projectors for immersive installations, experimental performances and large-scale visual environments.
For Paul Moore, Technical Director at Factory International, one of projection’s greatest strengths is its ability to blend into a production rather than draw attention to itself.
“Projection allows video to live in a different world,” he says. “It allows it to stop being about what the medium is and about what the art is.”
Unlike an LED display, which remains a physical element of a stage or installation, projection allows moving imagery to become part of the surrounding architecture, scenery or performance space.
Factory International uses both technologies, selecting the approach that best supports each artist’s vision.
The organization encourages artists to experiment with projection mapping, live video and emerging digital technologies through development programs that allow them to test ideas before bringing them to larger productions.
“We’ve often had artists that will try and challenge what we’re doing with projection, what we’re doing with video, or any technology really,” Moore says.
The venue’s projection inventory, supplied by AV integrator Adlib, includes Panasonic 4K laser projectors that can support productions with different spatial and technical requirements.
The design process prioritized equipment noise and heat output, particularly in installations where projectors operate close to audiences.
One example of Factory International’s approach was Atmospheric Memory , an immersive installation by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer for Manchester International Festival.
Constructed using stacked shipping containers, the installation combined projected imagery, interactive digital environments and a wall of pixelated smoke that could display images. The production subsequently toured internationally, with its projection setup adapted to different venues.
Factory International has also collaborated with artist Laurie Anderson on a production that combines electronic music, live camera feeds, green-screen technology, and early AI-generated content.
Both projects illustrate how digital imagery can become part of an artistic experience rather than simply serve as a visual backdrop.
For Moore, that distinction helps explain why projection remains valuable alongside LED and other display technologies.
“Projection for me will bring the art forward,” he says. “You can add texture, atmosphere and detail without it becoming the focus of the piece.”