A Woman Of Substance
The phrase ‘Northern Grit’ is personified by one woman and her passionate belief in the arts, on an incredible journey which has seen her star rise to critical acclaim over a career spanning more than 40 years, writes Katie Hammond. Photography: Jo Greenfield
It’s hard to imagine that the whole artistic and cultural landscape of the north of England could be forged and evolved by one lone, dogged and passionate pioneer of the arts, but that’s exactly what Christine Cort has achieved – and all from humble beginnings as a gas fitter’s daughter from Blackburn.
Today, Christine is decorated with countless plaudits, including being listed in the top 100 influential women in the North West in 2019 and the special recognition for commitment to culture award in 2021 (The Sunday Times Alternative Rich List also featured her as someone who ‘cares about the important stuff in life’). The 2025 King’s Honours List has now delivered what she terms as her ‘ultimate honour’ – an OBE for her commitment and contributions to the Arts.
Christine’s story began in the traditional Lancashire mill town where her grandmother was a weaver and her grandfather played football for Blackburn Rovers.
After a short spell in Liverpool where she says she ‘fell in love with music’ in her late teens, London called in the early 80s when Christine landed a junior role at Riverside Studios.
She recalls: “Arts and Culture became my life and I loved learning about every single aspect. I’d see people like Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson and Bryan Ferry around the building and it was just amazing to be surrounded by all this creativity.”
Next came a short spell working for Terence Conran, before Christine was head hunted by the team at the iconic ‘Time Out’ magazine, quickly moving through the ranks to eventually take on the role of Group Marketing Director and becoming responsible for product launches across the globe.
When son Jack was born, returning to her roots was a natural step for the proud northerner, but what was planned as a small hiatus was quickly turned on its head when Christine took on what would be her biggest legacy to date – the Manchester International Festival (MIF).
And as they say, the rest is history. MIF went on to become one of the most successful cultural and Arts events globally, staging world premieres and previously unseen work by artists and musicians of all genres, bringing in visitors from more than 50 countries and generating in excess of £50 million for the local economy in Manchester. Its success preceded and secured the construction of the multi-use Arts venue The Factory on the site of the old Granada Studios – the largest capital arts project outside of London.
After 16 years at the helm of MIF, Christine could be forgiven for wanting to take things a little easier. But, it seems, this was far from her plans, after becoming involved in another cultural project, this time the vision of her now good friend, Ben Casey.
She explains: “Ben asked me to take a look at a space he was interested in developing in the heart of Preston. The moment I saw the potential of the former window factory, I knew I wanted to help him realise his vision.
“A year on and it is home to incredible artisan food vendors and independent traders and is not only a welcoming community meeting space, but also a true cultural destination, putting a disused and previously quiet area of the city firmly back on the map.
“Establishing Chew’s Yard is part of the first phase and Ben’s next plans include creating a pub on the theme of the Battle of Preston. We are also building a cultural destination in this part of town which will be called Market Street Social.”
Reflecting on her amazing life, Christine is adamant that the running theme of her drive and success has been her treasured family and the people she has worked with along the way: “I’m lucky enough to have worked with the most talented people throughout my career. To see the people I love, including my incredible son, flourish and grow in their careers whilst with me on my journey has been my driving force – it’s truly life affirming.”
