Great Northern Events NW Ltd (GNE) is a not for profit organisation, with 13 years’ experience of organising their portfolio of award-winning Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fairs in the north of England, as well as GNCCFonline - their digital fairs, launched in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF) Manchester has built a national reputation as one of the top craft events in the UK and is a must-attend show for exhibitors and visitors. Designer-makers and craft artists apply to be selected by a panel of craft experts (meaning only makers producing work of the highest standard are invited to take part).  This curation ensures a celebration of only the best cutting-edge design and beautiful craftmanship. It is a key event in the craft calendar for  trade buyers, curators,  discerning customers and collectors to source new work and buy direct from the makers.

The show makes a major contribution to the North’s craft economy & ecology.  Since its launch in 2008 by  renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick, it has showcased over  3000 artists, attracted  over 70000 visitors  and sold over £2.8m of craft.

With the aim of making craft more inclusive to people from disadvantaged backgrounds, GNE introduced an outreach programme in partnership with The Oasis Centre, a community charity in Gorton. To date they have run  over 50 craft workshops and engaged over 1000 residents and have commissioned an Artist in Residency programme to work more closely with the local community.

GNE work closely with the Crafts Council, is a member of Craft UK and is represented on the steering group of the NW Craft Network.  GNE are funded by Arts Council England through the National Lottery Project Grants.