The week’s news in the ceramic art world – February 5, 2026

⭐ Applications are now open for the 14th International Ceramics Festival MINO, Japan, one of the most prestigious international events dedicated to contemporary ceramics. Taking place between October 8 and November 7, 2027, the competition is open to artists worldwide across two categories—Ceramic Arts and Ceramics Design (Factory and Studio)—under the theme Potential of Ceramics. Eligible works must have been produced after February 2024. The festival will award several prizes, including a Grand Prix worth over $30,000. Submissions are due January 29, 2027.

👌 Applications are also open for the sixth edition of the Officine Saffi Award, the international prize dedicated to contemporary ceramics across art, design, and craft. Participation is free of charge, with a €10,000 First Prize, six Residency Prizes in collaboration with international institutions, and inclusion in the finalists’ exhibition. For 2026, artists are invited to respond to the theme Forms of Belonging, exploring ceramics as a material language of connection and shared experience. Applications are open until June 26, 2026, with the exhibition opening in late September 2026.

⏳ Artists, researchers, and museum professionals are invited to submit proposals to Ceramics Research Centre-UK for the conference Permanence / Impermanence: Collecting and Archiving Contemporary Clay Practices, taking place in London on June 24–26, 2026. Organised by CRC-UK and the University of Westminster, in partnership with the V&A Museum, the conference explores how ephemeral, performative, and site-specific clay practices can be collected, documented, and made accessible for the future. Proposals are due March 16, 2026.

🌅 Registrations are now open for the 33rd Mediterraneo Contemporary Ceramics Competition, organized by the city of Grottaglie (Italy). Open to individual artists and collectives, the international competition promotes innovative and contemporary ceramic practices. Selected works will be exhibited in Grottaglie from July 4 to October 18, 2026, and several prizes will be awarded, including a €5,000 first prize, a solo exhibition award, an artist residency, and a €10,000 large-scale work prize. Applications are due May 5, 2026.

⚡ Preparations are underway for the 8th edition of Révélations, the international fine craft biennial returning to the Grand Palais, Paris, from May 19–23, 2027. Following its 2025 edition, which brought together more than 550 creators and 45,000 visitors, the fair invites applications from artists, galleries, art dealers, institutions, and other organizations. Participation is geared toward professional exhibitors, with a participation fee starting at around €3,000 for a shared stand.

📌 The exhibition of the 6th International Siegburg Ceramics Prize has recently opened at the Siegburg City Museum (Germany), presenting 67 selected works from 335 submissions by artists from 23 countries. The First Prize was awarded to Philsoo Heo (South Korea) for The Touch of Ignorance, followed by Heidi Hentze (Denmark) with Mining and Marianne Wesolowska-Eggimann (Switzerland/Poland) with Trust the Process. The exhibition is on view through April 12, 2026, and is accompanied by a newly published catalogue.

💡 Students and emerging ceramic artists based in the United States are invited to apply for the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award, a grant that supports up to 12 months of independent research and professional development. Founded in 2014 in honor of Warren MacKenzie’s legacy in ceramic education, the award supports projects involving mentorship, travel, skill development, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. One recipient will be selected for the 2026–27 grant year. Applications close April 5, 2026.

🎓 The School of Art and Design in the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University is seeking candidates for the Robert Chapman Turner Teaching Fellow in Ceramic Art. The Turner Teaching Fellow will be an emerging artist with an MFA or equivalent degree. Prior teaching experience is welcome but not required. The fellowship is non-tenure-track and renewable for up to 3 years. A stipend is provided for professional development along with a studio space and full access to ceramic facilities. The start date is August 2026.