The third British Ceramics Biennial, which opens this weekend, is set to put Stoke-on-Trent in the spotlight at a time when the city is undergoing major regeneration. The festival features six weeks of exhibitions, at venues across the city, showcasing the work of over 150 leading contemporary ceramic artists and the best of today’s emerging talent.
The majority of exhibitions will, once again, be housed in the historic former Spode Factory which has recently undergone refurbishment in a bid to find a buyer for the 10-acre site.
Among the many highlights are hands-on activities, a show featuring the work of UK ceramics graduates and a large-scale installation from 2011 Award winner Phoebe Cummings.
This year’s Award show, in which 22 ceramicists will be hoping to win the £10,000 prize, will be held at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. The city’s contemporary gallery, AirSpace, will also be hosting a Biennial exhibition featuring the work of Corinne Felgate who has previously been commissioned by Tate Modern.
While employment in the pottery industry has declined dramatically, Stoke-on-Trent is still recognised as the capital of ceramics, making it the natural location for the Biennial. But while the city is proud of its industrial heritage it has been forced to confront a changed economic landscape and is currently in the middle of a huge regeneration scheme.
The Spode estate itself is part of this and hosting the festival illustrates possible future uses for the site. Elsewhere a new bus station (above) opened earlier this year and the construction of a central business district is currently underway, providing new office space in the city centre. Nearby a 650,000 sq ft shopping centre is due to open in 2016.
The city council is keen to attract inward investment and sent a delegation to this year’s MIPIM property event in Cannes to show what Stoke-on-Trent has to offer. The Biennial offers another opportunity to showcase the city’s rich heritage and creative talent to potential investors, ensuring that Stoke-on-Trent will continue to move forward.
The British Ceramics Biennial 2013 opens this Saturday (28th September) and runs until 10th November. Admission to exhibitions is free.
Previous Post
UK Commercial Property Returns Hit 29 Month High
