Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2024 at Victoria Baths
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
The wait is over – the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair is back! Now in its 17th edition, this standout event of the North’s cultural calendar returns to Victoria Baths this October. The striking venue, a true treat for fans of stained glass and intricate tiles, is the ideal backdrop for a showcase of high-quality craftsmanship.
The event brings together over 200 makers from across the UK, carefully chosen for their outstanding talent and skill. You’ll find ceramicists, glass and textile artists, printmakers, furniture and lighting designers, as well as metal workers, silversmiths, jewellery makers and those who work with a combination of methods and materials.
Look out for Nehal Aamir vibrant ceramics which represent the artist’s multicultural background as a Pakistani Muslim woman – their bold colours are sure to catch your eye. Newcomer Millicent Sanders is a textile designer who specialises in knit, with an innovative approach to silhouettes and pattern. Don’t miss Ukrainian artist Batis Ceramics’ large-scale ‘paintings’ – panels of tiny, hand-made ceramic pieces arranged into fluid shapes that you simply won’t be able to look away from.
As well as the traditional showcase of handmade pieces from established makers, GNCCF is bringing back Green Grads, a display of work by 20 UK graduates whose work is gaining prominence thanks to their innovations in sustainability and planet-focused design. As well as Green Grads, you’ll also find a new addition: Great Northern Graduates. 12 UK graduates chosen as the ‘ones to watch’ in their respective fields are getting a chance to showcase their work at this year’s prestigious event.
If you feel inspired by the exquisite craft on display, you can have a go at playing with clay during free pottery workshops organised in partnership with Stockport’s Yellowhammer. As always, if you have any questions for the artists themselves, you’ll have a chance to chat to them about their work and techniques. You might even be able to watch them at work!
In a world of throwaway items, the power of craft endures as we search for lovingly made, lasting objects, created with real skill and passion. Everyone can find something for themselves (or their family, friends and pets) at the country’s biggest craft show.
The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair begins with a special preview evening on 17 October (6pm – 9pm), then opens to the public on 18 October and 19 October (10am – 5pm) until 20 October (10am – 4pm).
