British Ceramics Biennial

More than 100 artists will be taking part in the fifth edition of the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) this September.

Groups heading to the event, taking place in the ‘capital for ceramics’ – Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, will be able to choose from a huge range of exhibitions. 

Running from the 23rd September until 5th November, the festival’s main hub will be at the former Spode Factory in the heart of Stoke. The cultural quarter of Hanley will form a second hub across venues including the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, AirSpace Gallery, Bethesda Chapel and Stoke-on-Trent Central Library. 

British Ceramics Biennial

The six week international ceramics festival will see Stoke-on-Trent awash with exhibitions, installations, new commissions and hands-on activities that will showcase creative potential for clay and also highlight contemporary ceramics.

Set to be launched with an exhibition of an exclusive limited edition, the event will tell the story of objects designed and refined through a process of making spanning 300 years.  

The event’s flagship exhibition, AWARD, will take centre stage in Spode’s China Hall with a presentation of new work by the ten artists competing for a prize.

This year’s event will also feature a reimagining of the iconic Brown Betty teapot.

From large-scale installations to intimate displays, the work will exemplify the abiding interest in clay as a medium for making and exploring ideas.

More information

The festival programme will also link with some of the city’s best-known names, including Emma Bridgewater, Burleigh at Middleport Pottery, World of Wedgwood and Johnson Tiles. 

The 2017 BCB programme, meanwhile, has been launched to coincide with Stoke-on-Trent’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021.

Groups visiting the festival can arrange special tours at a range of the attractions. Visit Stoke also provides information for groups including the top attractions to visit.

For more information, visit www.britishceramicsbiennial.com and www.visitstoke.co.uk