The UK’s biggest craft show returns to Manchester this weekend

The famous Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair returns to Victoria Baths for its 17th year this weekend

Running from Fri 18 Oct – Sun 20 Oct, the fair is set to host a curated lineup of more than 200 contemporary designers, makers and artists, each selected for their outstanding designs, flair and talent.

The award-winning show has become a fixture in Manchester’s creative calendar, offering visitors the chance to peruse and purchase some truly unique and beautiful craft pieces.

This year, you can look forward to GR Hawes’s exquisite handcrafted glass sculptures, a joyful celebration of colour and culture in British Pakistani artist Nehal Aamir’s ceramics, bespoke contemporary furniture and lighting design by Nick James and the latest collections from acclaimed jewellers Yvonne Gilhooly and Jennie Gill.

There will also be 40 makers coming to the fair for the very first time, including knitwear designer Millicent Sanders, fresh from exhibiting at the Venice Biennale, and recent Royal College of Arts graduates, jeweller Lois Lo and goldsmith Hiumin Zhang.

A special sustainability exhibition will also be hosted at the fair. New for this year, Green Grads in the North, a platform for new graduates “with ideas to heal the planet,” will occupy the baths’ changing cubicles, each space showcasing a variety of eco-focused works that employ natural materials and revamped waste.

For those who are feeling creative, there’ll be chances to get involved with free pottery workshops offered in partnership with Stockport’s Yellowhammer.

Ann-Marie Franey, Fair Founder & Director, commented: “Craft says something in a world dominated by a throw-away culture. It says that something was made with love, great skill, and designed to last. Every year we’re so proud to bring an unrivalled lineup of designer-makers to Manchester from all over the country and provide you with an opportunity to meet the makers and buy something with more than just monetary value.”

Tickets are on sale now, grab yours using the button below.