An internationally acclaimed ceramics celebration is heading back to the spiritual home of British pottery this autumn – and returning to the historic Spode site in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent.
Linking the past with the present, and future, the 2025 British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) will bring the former Spode Works to life, animating the post-industrial site with ambitious and imaginative works in clay and ceramic for a six-week celebration, from 6 September to 19 October.
One of the most important factories from the Industrial Revolution and the birthplace of bone china, world famous Spode wares were made there from 1776 until 2008 when it closed.
Now the site – which is also undergoing a £10m transformation as part of a multi-million-pound regeneration of Stoke-on-Trent – will again become a hub showcasing world class clay and ceramics creativity.
Staged every two years in Stoke-on-Trent, the BCB has grown to be the country’s single largest contemporary ceramics event.
Coming hot on the heels of Stoke-on-Trent being named a World Craft City, and in the year that the city celebrates its centenary, this year’s programme of free exhibitions, screenings, talks and events will all be staged at Spode, just a five-minute walk from the train station.
British Ceramics Biennial 2025 will once again spotlight leading international contemporary ceramic artists as well as introduce new talent, drawing on Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heritage and creative spirit.
Among the highlights will be BCB’s flagship exhibition, Award, which will bring together new work by 10 leading artists competing for the £10,000 BCB Award Prize, and Fresh, profiling a new wave of artists working in clay.
Drawing inspiration from BCB’s year-round work in the city making change through clay, Playscape will be a major new commission in which construction clay spoil will be transformed into a children’s playground.
For a different perspective, Raverina’s Dance Floor will be an interactive, sensory art installation inspired by the ceramic practices of the Algarve in Portugal.
And for visitors wanting to have a go themselves, BCB’s ever-popular Engagement Space will offer the chance to get hands-on with clay.
Already known as a capital of ceramics, Stoke-on-Trent has been shaped by its pottery production for centuries and today is still home to world famous ceramic brands as well as award-winning attractions, tours, and factory shops.
Full more details of BCB 2025 can be found at www.britishceramicsbiennial.com
For more information on Stoke-on-Trent as a destination, see www.visitstoke.co.uk
Photo: British Ceramics Biennial 2023, Mella Shaw, Sounding Line, 2023. Credit – Jenny Harper