Ann-Marie Franey is a joint founder and director of Great Northern Events NW Ltd, a not-for-profit arts organisation responsible for championing great craft and design and designer-makers in the North, through its award-winning Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair and smaller spin off events such as GNCCF LIVE and the Little Northern Contemporary Craft Fairs. Ann-Marie is passionate about supporting makers and promoting excellent craft, as well as engaging new audiences for buying, collecting and making. She is also a keen collector.

Prior to her move into contemporary craft, Ann-Marie was a TV producer/director working across factual, lifestyle and documentary programmes for Granada and the BBC.