FACT marks one year of artist-led innovation with new exhibition

FACT Liverpool is celebrating a year since the launch of its artist-led creative hub, Studio/Lab, with a brand new exhibition opening this autumn.

The showcase at FACT Liverpool will feature two immersive installations developed in the space, giving visitors a chance to see first-hand the kind of work that has emerged from this pioneering initiative.

Perched on the top floor of FACT, Studio/Lab was designed by artists for artists – a place where ideas are sparked, tested and brought to life. Over the past year, more than 500 creatives from Liverpool, the North West and beyond have engaged with the space through workshops, residencies, masterclasses and social events. It’s the first facility of its kind in the UK, combining technical resources, production equipment and curatorial support to help artists explore new ways of working.

Credit: Helen Anna Flanagan, Burnt Toast (2025). Photograph, courtesy the artist.

The Studio/Lab community includes filmmakers, sound and visual artists, technologists and researchers. It’s a place where disciplines mix, skills are shared and projects are pushed in exciting new directions. For FACT, it’s also a major step forward in how its residency programmes operate, with artists gaining extended access to equipment, facilities and expert advice.

Over the past year, Studio/Lab has also welcomed international artists through new and existing partnerships, strengthening FACT’s role as a hub for creative exchange. Now, as part of the autumn programme, two works developed in the space will be on public display from Friday 29 August to Sunday 23 November 2025.

Helen Anna Flanagan, who joined Studio/Lab as part of her Mondriaan Fund residency, will present Burnt Toast (2025) – a film installation combining machine learning, archival material, analogue technology and performance to create a contemporary ghost story. Inspired by domestic spaces, the piece reflects on class, culture and capitalism, and how they can leave people feeling disconnected and isolated.

FACT Liverpool Gavin Gayagoy, Doomscroll_1 (2025). Photograph, courtesy the artist. — Credit: Gavin Gayagoy, Doomscroll_1 (2025). Photograph, courtesy the artist.

Also featured is Doomscroll_1 (2025) by Gavin Gayagoy, recipient of FACT’s Digital Artist Residency in partnership with Liverpool game developer Lucid Games. The interactive work examines our relationship with smartphones and the compulsive habit of “doom-scrolling”, exploring how digital environments shape perception, truth and identity.

Both works will be unveiled at a special after-hours launch event on Thursday 28 August, where visitors can explore Studio/Lab, meet the artists and hear more about their creative process.

Speaking about her time in Studio/Lab, Helen Anna Flanagan said:

“Studio/Lab gave me the freedom to experiment in ways I hadn’t before. I worked with machine learning, VHS, archival material and green screens – mixing old and new technologies to create something that pushed my practice forward. It was a space for play, trial and error, and I came away with new processes and deeper insights into my work.”