The week’s news in the ceramic art world – September 10, 2025

⭐ The 2025 British Ceramics Biennial just opened at the former Spode factory in Stoke-on-Trent, running until October 19, 2025. The UK’s largest ceramics event brings together over 60 international artists with a programme of exhibitions, talks, and commissions that spotlight both the city’s industrial heritage and explore the environmental impact of ceramic production. Highlights include Award, with ten artists competing for the £10,000 prize, Fresh introducing emerging talent, and Playscape, an experimental rammed-earth play space by Tuckey Design Studio. The Biennial also launched its first Clay Films programme, presents Josie KO’s commission, The Chimney Princess, and will host a conference on reusing construction clay. The programme also includes artist talks with the ten Award finalists, now open for sign-up.

🎓 Salemi Ceramics invites artists to its 2026 residency program, running from March to November in Sicily’s historic town of Salemi. The call is open to ceramic artists with at least two years of professional experience (or four years if self-taught). Opportunities include standard residencies, site-specific residencies, and one fully funded residency supported by the Badr el Jundi Foundation. Selected artists will benefit from accommodation, studio access, meals, cultural activities, and professional facilities. Deadline: September 20, 2025.

👌 The American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) is proud to announce Fractured Foundations: 250 Years of American History. They invite ceramic artists residing in the US to participate in this exhibition by proposing recently created or new work that reflects on an event in US History that demonstrates resilience, injustice, triumph, and the impact of federal, state, and local policies. Deadline to Apply: October 12, 2025.

📌 Applications are open for the 2026 edition of Ceramic Art London until the end of the month. A leading platform for ceramic art, the event draws around 6,000 visitors from over 30 countries each year. With more than 120 exhibitors from across the UK and beyond, it stands out for its direct focus on the makers themselves, offering a lively, hands-on celebration of ceramics. Stand fees range between £1,100 and £2,200, with a 10% discount available for exhibitors from outside the UK.

👉 Fondazione Museo Montelupo Onlus invites artists to participate in a new international contemporary ceramics competition, which will take place in the city of Montelupo Fiorentino, in Tuscany, Italy. The Open Studio prize is open to artists worldwide and offers several cash prizes, as well as residencies at the local ceramics center. Applications are due by October 12, 2025, with the exhibition scheduled to take place between December 6 and 21, 2025.

🥇 ceramic brussels recently announced the ten laureates of the 2026 Ceramic Brussels Art Prize: Lorie Ballage (FR), Uriel Caspi (IL), Danny Cremers (NL), Kira Fröse (DE), Ninon Hivert (FR), Santiago Insignares-Martínez (US), Faye Papargyropoulou (GR), Marie Pic (FR), Angelika Stefaniak (PL), Walter Yu (CN). The artists will be exhibited during Ceramic Brussels (January 21-25, 2026).

🎉 Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Martinsons Award (within the Latvia Ceramics Biennale). In the International Category, the Gold Prize was awarded to Daria Kowalewska (Poland), and the Silver Prize to Hanna Miadzvedzeva (Poland) and Hyunjin Kim (South Korea). In the National Category, the Gold Prize was awarded to Lilija Zeiļa and Inese Brants (Latvia). Several other artists received Honorable Mentions. The exhibition is on view at the Rothko Museum in Daugavpils until February 1, 2026.

👍 We also want to congratulate the winners of the 32nd Contemporary Ceramic Art Competition Mediterraneo: Marta Palmieri (1st Prize), Katia Terpigoreva (2nd Prize), and Lixia Guo (3rd Prize ‘Artist Residency under 35’). Several other artists received Honorable Mentions. The exhibition is on view at the Castello Episcopio in Grottaglie, Italy, until October 12, 2025.

📙 Book recommendation: 250 Years of Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grøndahl. Volume 1: A Legacy in Porcelain, Stoneware and Faience & Volume 2: A Collection of Works. This detailed two-volume set offers an unparalleled scholarly insight into the history of Danish porcelain. Buy the book on Amazon or read more.