Following the success of the last two events, the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair is back and looking for designers. Now in its third year the craft fair will exhibit over 140 of of the most innovative and influential designer-makers in the UK. Both established and emerging will be selected to showcase and sell their their work directly to the public and trade.

Exhibition stands cost from £360 (2m x 1.5m) and shared applications from two makers are welcome.

Further information and application packs can be downloaded from www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk or can be obtained by emailing info@greatnorthernevents.co.uk detailing your name and contact details (email and address) or by sending a large SAE to Great Northern Events, 23 Belfield Rd, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6BJ.

The deadline for applications is the 1st of May 2010.

The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair will take place later this year between 21st and 24th October, at Spinningfields, Manchester.

For more information visit www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk.

By Jenny

On 28 April The Lowry celebrates its 10th birthday. And what better way to celebrate and to pay homage to the art centre’s namesake by commissioning a mass installation of everyday people going about their everyday lives. The only difference is that the everyday people will all be naked.

The Lowry has commissioned New York-based photographer, Spencer Tunick to create an installation across eight locations in the two neighbouring cities on 1 and 2 May 2010. The artist is now looking for 1,000 volunteers to shed their clothing and their inhibitions and take part in the project. The resulting photographic and film work will then be shown at The Lowry from 12 June to 26 September as part of the exhibition, Everyday People.

Tunick is renowned for his naked installations and previous locations include Sydney, Montreal, Melbourne, Santiago, Barcelona and Gateshead. However, this marks a departure from his usual style and will be his first visual response to the work of another artist. In contrast to his usual, static works, Tunick will break new ground by capturing the movement of everyday people within each photograph.

Tunick explains, “Salford and Manchester presents an intriguing prospect for my latest UK installation based both on the rich industrial heritage that exists across both cities and the art of LS Lowry. LS Lowry’s paintings depicting the mass of everyday people who contributed to the industrial machine of the 20th century, also provide an interesting frame of reference in terms of the compositional possibilities of the installations.”

If you would like to get involved then go to www.thelowry.com/tunick to register your interest. You’ll be pleased to note that participants will be transported to the locations in heated buses.

So what do you think? I’m a great admirer of L S Lowry’s work and think this is a grand and ambitious tribute. I won’t be getting my kit of though. I’m far too inhibited for that. But I look forward to the exhibition with interest.

I hope you all had a good weekend. The following survey dropped into my inbox this morning and I thought I’d share. For anyone living, working or visiting Manchester on a regular basis, would you like to see an independent market in the Northern Quarter?

If you have an opinion on this please complete the survey. It’ll only take a few minutes. There are just 10 questions.

Link to survey: www.surveymonkey.com/s/KN9PK6Y

Thank you!

An exciting opportunity has arisen for six small designer / makers to exhibit at the Knitting & Stitching Show in London, Harrogate and Dublin with Craft Guerrilla.

Interested? You will need to apply by mid March by submitting photos of your work and a few words about what this opportunity would mean to you and your craft business. Successful applicants will be asked to undergo a short interview via phone or email and samples will be requested. Winners will be announced by May.

For further details go to www.craftguerrilla.com.

I’m a little behind this week as you might have gathered. I’ve got lots to share, starting with a reminder that Didsbury Vintage and Craft Fair is back tomorrow, with fashion and accessories from 1920 – 1989.

What: Didsbury Vintage and Craft Fair
When: Saturday 20 Feb - 10 ’til 4
Where: Emmanuel Hall, behind Didsbury Library on Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury Village, M20 6TR
More Info: www.kennedymccall.wordpress.com

I think it was the dead rabbit that initially drew me to this event but when I read on I couldn’t help but be intrigued. The Family Event Installation explores our knowledge of ‘family’ and in particular the relationships between family members and how they change over time.

According to the artist Naomi Kendrick, ‘The work takes us on a journey in which surreal flashbacks associated with early memory are recalled; objects are unearthed through a process of seeing, opening, touching, smelling, listening; and stories are glimpsed, though fact and fiction remain blurred.’

The interactive nature of this installation appeals to me and particularly the use of the different sense.

If you’d like to go along here are the details:

What: The Family Event: An Installation by Naomi Kendrick
Where: The Middle Room, 203 Slade Lane, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 2AE
When: Preview on Friday 12th of February 6.30 – 9pm and then ‘view by appointment’ 13th – 21st February

There’s more information on the artist’s blog at http://deadrabbit-ablog.blogspot.com

There’s so much happening over the festive season - markets, craft fairs, exhibitions - that I decided to add them into one big post. Here goes:

Figuratively Speaking

What: An exhibition to explore the figure through stitch and contemporary embroidery.
When: 7th November to 24th December 2009
Where: The Edge Gallery, Lancaster
More Info: http://theedgegallery.wordpress.com

We Make Christmas

What: This December the team behind the hugely successful ‘We Make’ designer craft shows will offer Christmas shoppers the chance to wrap up all their Christmas shopping in the serene surroundings of charming Chelsea Town Hall
When: Saturday 5th December 2009 / 11am to 5pm
Where: Chelsea Town Hall, Kings Road, London (nearest tube Sloane Square)
More Info: www.wemakelondon.blogspot.com

Tea Cosy Too

What: Tea Cosy Too, an alternative art, craft and design fair, is the perfect opportunity to purchase a variety of original Christmas presents with stalls exhibiting jewellery, textiles, ceramics, illustration, printmaking and many more.
When: Saturday 5 December 10am - 6pm and Sunday 6 December 10am - 5pm
Where: The Academy (In the old Pier unit), Belmont Street, Aberdeen

Didsbury Charity Craft Market

What: A wide selection of arts and crafts including jewellery, pottery, glassware, cards, accessories and Christmas decorations. Not to mention homemade cakes, mince pies and festive refreshments. All profits go to Dignity, facilitating development projects and alleviating poverty in rural Zambia.
When: Saturday 5 December 2009
Where: Ivy Manchester, 97 Barlow Moor Rd, Didsbury M20 2GP
More Info: www.dignityonline.org.uk

Magpie Christmas Market

What: Magpie Market is the first event for Magpie, a fledgling creative enterprise based in Edinburgh. Providing an alternative to dreary Christmas shopping, Magpie Market will give you the chance to pick up some imaginative and unique handmade and vintage products straight from one of the 20+ exhibitors. With everything from cards to ceramics and plush squids to knitted jewellery there is bound to be something for everyone!
Where: Magpie Market, The LOT, 4-6 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2JU
When: Sunday 6th December / 12pm – 6pm
More Info: www.magpiemarket.blogspot.com

Northumbria Festive Gift Fair

What: This is the ideal place to find that special something that you won’t find on the high street where the items on offer are lovingly handmade by local designer-makers and artists as well as vintage traders. The fair will be home to 30+ sellers offering a fantastic selection of items such as jewellery, fashion, art, books, photography and homewares. Entry is free and all are welcome.
When: Friday 11th December / 11am – 6pm
Where: Domain Hall, 2nd floor Northumbria Students Union, 2 Sandyford Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8SB
More Info: starandshadowmarket [at] googlemail [dot] com

Bust Magazine Christmas Craftacular

What: On December 12 you can shop, craft and make merry in Bethnal Green’s historic York Hall, when New York-based women’s pop-culture magazine BUST hosts its popular shopping bonanza in London for the third time. Featuring the nation’s hottest craft talent, such as Tatty Devine and Lady Luck Rules OK, alongside sellers from Spain and beyond, it promises to be the best Craftacular yet!
When: Saturday December 12th from 12 – 7pm
Where: York Hall, 5-15 Old Ford Road, London E2 (Near Bethnal Green Tube)
More Info: www.bust.com/craftacular/About-London.html

Manchester Craft Mafia Market

What: Taking place in the grand surroundings of the Whitworth Art Gallery, stall holders will dazzle with a range of wall art, beauty products, jewellery, soft toys, knitting, crochet, ceramics, cards, decorations, fashion and accessories.
When: Sat 12 Dec (10 ’til 5) and Sunday 13 Dec (12 ’til 4)
Where: Whitworth Art Gallery, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER UK
More Info: www.manchestercraftmafia.com

Last night saw the launch of Cube Store and was the start of an interesting collaboration between Nissan and Colette, Paris. You wouldn’t automatically associate the two, a Japanese car manufacturer and renowned Parisian boutique but the Cube is fast becoming a style icon. It was built to invite debate and non-conformity and the organisers of the event are hoping for the same.

The Cube Store is an exhibition, a shop and a conceptual space in which a number of designers and creatives will gather over the next few weeks to speak on a variety of subjects. Keep up with the latest news by following Cube Store on Twitter.

Colette, Paris has become synonymous with bringing unique items from key designers together in one space. Just in time for Christmas shopping, Colette has handpicked 60 unique interior decorating pieces and kitsch Japanese inspired gadgets to feature in her first ever London based store. Prices will range from £5 to £4000.

What: Cube Store
Where: Boilerhouse, The Old Truman Brewery, London, E1 6QL
When: Official launch Thursday 26th November, closed Mondays Tuesdays and public holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day)
Opening hours: 12pm-7pm
Website: www.cubelist.co.uk
Follow: www.twitter.com/NissanCubeUk