The week’s news in the ceramic art world – January 14, 2025

🥇 Applications are now open for the International Competition of the Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale 2026, inviting ceramic artists from around the world to submit works that reflect contemporary practice and a forward-looking vision for the medium. Organized by the Korea Ceramic Foundation, this renowned competition awards one Grand Prize of ~$40,000 and nine Excellence Prizes of ~$6,800 each. Submissions are accepted online until February 12, 2026.

📌 ceramic brussels returns to Tour & Taxis, Brussels, from January 21–25, 2026 for its third edition, bringing together 65 galleries and more than 200 artists from around 30 countries. This year’s fair features a special focus on Spain as part of EUROPALIA ESPAÑA, alongside a tribute to Enric Mestre, a major exhibition of Elmar Trenkwalder as Guest of Honour, and a presentation of the ceramic brussels art prize 2026 laureates. A programme of 12 international talks and a dedicated artbook section complete the event.

🙌 A special roundtable on visibility and access in contemporary ceramics will take place during ceramic brussels on Saturday, January 24, at 12:30. Moderated by Vasi Hirdo (Editor of Ceramics Now), the discussion brings together Gaëlle Cornut (Ceramic Art Andenne), Nele van Wieringen (Keramikmuseum Westerwald), Claire FitzGerald (Musée Ariana), and Oriol Calvo Vergés (International Academy of Ceramics) to examine how exhibitions, institutions, open calls, and other frameworks shape who is seen (and who remains underrepresented) in today’s ceramics landscape.

👌 The Hunterdon Art Museum (Clinton, NJ) is inviting US-based artists to apply to Claybash, its second Triennial Juried Exhibition of Ceramics. The exhibition welcomes diverse approaches that explore clay as both material and idea, from functional and sculptural work to experimental practices. Claybash 2026 will be juried by curator and writer Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy, with awards including a $1,000 First Prize. Applications are due February 9, 2026.

⚱️ Artists working in craft-based media are invited to apply for Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s Artist Residency Program, offering three- to twelve-month residencies beginning in September 2026. Open to artists working in wood, glass, metal, fiber, and clay, the program provides 24/7 studio access, a $1,000 monthly stipend, and professional development opportunities. Residents maintain open studio hours and participate in talks and exhibitions. Applications are due February 1, 2026.

🤏 Artists based in the United States are invited to apply to Small Favors 2026, The Clay Studio’s long-running exhibition celebrating small-scale works with big impact. Open to artists working in clay and other media, the exhibition challenges makers to create works that fit within a four-inch cube. Selected pieces will be presented and offered for sale both in the gallery and online. Small Favors 2026 runs October 8 – December 31, 2026, with applications due June 1, 2026.

🎓 Artists working with clay are invited to apply for a ceramic creation residency in Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie (France) to explore the relationship between ceramics, vines, and wine culture. Organized by the Office Culturel in partnership with Domaine Deleuze Rochetin, the residency runs from June 2026 to February 2027 (minimum eight weeks on site) and includes accommodation, a studio, €4,000 in artist fees, and €2,000 in production support. Applications are due February 15, 2026.

🗾 For more than thirteen centuries, the clay-rich hills of Tajimi, in Japan’s Gifu prefecture, have quietly shaped one of the country’s most influential ceramic industries and cultures. Yet beyond specialist circles, Tajimi—the heart of the Mino Ceramic Valley—remains largely undiscovered. In April 2026, an intimate ceramic workshop and retreat with Shingo Takeuchi invites participants to step inside this living landscape of clay, craft, and community. Read more about this ceramic workshop & retreat in Tajimi, Japan.

💬 Join artists Gabriella Mlynarczyk and Yuki Nakamura for Clay in Conversation 13: Play, the thirteenth in a series of conversations curated by Julia Ellen Lancaster, presenting artists working with clay and ceramics. This episode explores how play shapes ceramic practice, with artists presenting their work through this lens. The presentations will be followed by a conversation chaired by Tessa Peters and a Q&A with the audience. The event takes place at Portland Hall, University of Westminster, on Friday, January 16, 2026, from 6–8 pm.