Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair | 19-22 October 2023

QEST enjoyed a fantastic weekend in Manchester at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF) – the North of England’s most prestigious and established craft event.

Returning for the second time, QEST curated a pool-side exhibition of scholar works, including surrealist furniture by QEST Jasper Weldon Scholar Sofia Karakatsanis, wet-felted landscapes of QEST William Parker Scholar Valérie Wartelle and organic copper lighting by Building Arts Programme graduate Willow Bloomfield.

Accompanying demonstrations were a hit with visitors, who enjoyed learning about jeweller and QEST Stanley Picker Trust Scholar Kumiko Kihara‘s lost wax casting technique and the puzzle-like nature of QEST Scholar Debbie Copley‘s stained glass in particular.

With 150 talented makers showcasing and selling their crafts to the public at the fair, QEST was in great company, and it was great to catch up with QEST Britford Bridge Trust Scholar Verity Pulford, and Building Arts Programme graduate Sarah Diver Lang who were exhibiting with their organism-inspired glasswork and naturally-dyed textiles respectively.

Enjoy a selection of photos from QEST’s exhibition below, or watch the video by Hana Ayers which captures the essence of the event.