Highlights from Ceramic Art London 2026

Makers, collectors and enthusiasts came together between 8–10 May as Ceramic Art London (CAL) returned for its 22^nd year, featuring an expanded programme of exhibitors, awards and talks. Organised by the Craft Potters Association (CPA), this year’s fair brought together an exceptional breadth of contemporary practice, from emerging voices to established names shaping the field.

During Thursday’s private view, five awards were announced. The Emmanuel Cooper Award, a major acquisition prize supported by the Craft Pottery Charitable Trust and Pallant House Gallery. Now in its 11th year, the award recognises a maker whose work makes a significant contribution to contemporary ceramics. The winning work by Dan Kelly will enter the collection of Pallant House Gallery, Chichester. Kelly’s wheel-thrown pieces are deeply informed by the urban environment. His practice also draws on historical ceramics from both Europe and the Far East, weaving together multiple lineages of making.

The CAL Newcomer Award recognised London-based ceramic artist Olga Siruk, whose hand-built sculptures draw on Russian folklore and the avant-garde. Her biomorphic works combine paper resist and underglaze to produce layered, graphic surfaces, and have already gained recognition through exhibitions including last year’s British Ceramic Biennial. To learn more about Olga’s practice, subscribe to Ceramic Review and look out for her upcoming feature.

The CAL International Award celebrated an outstanding exhibitor based outside the UK, highlighting the global reach of the fair. This year’s recipient, Seoul-based ceramic artist Soyeon Gim, works through a material-led approach in which wheel-throwing becomes a starting point for exploring form, weight and texture. Through the introduction of hand-carving, she disrupts symmetry, producing sculptural objects designed to be experienced through touch as much as sight.

The CAL Outstanding Exhibitor Award was presented to Sun Kim, a Korean ceramicist raised in Brazil and now based in South London. With a background that includes studying at Alfred University and working with Edmund de Waal, her practice explores functional ware through a sustained investigation of form, volume and contemporary reinterpretations of tradition.

The People’s Choice Award, voted for entirely by visitors, was awarded to Hannah Simpson, whose Monster creatures resonated widely across the fair. Her work transforms difficult thoughts and negative emotions into vividly animated and humorous forms.

The Eileen Lewenstein Prize for Critical Writing was also announced on Thursday. With the generous support of State Ceramics, the new initiative intends to encourage new and emerging voices in writing on studio ceramics and clay art. The first-place prize includes £4,000, publication in Ceramic Review and a paid writing commission from the 2027 British Ceramics Biennial.

Curated by Ceramic Review’s (CR) Editor, Karen Bray, the talks programme had a fabulous line up of speakers. It gave visitors a chance to hear directly from some of the most influential names in contemporary ceramics and design. Among the highlights was Felicity Aylieff who presented this year’s CPA keynote talk on Friday discussing her monumental pieces made collaboratively in Jingdezhen, China. Another highlight was a conversation on Saturday between Kate Malone and Dame Zandra Rhodes that explored their shared commitment to ceramics and bold, expressive design.

The CPA and CR team also had an elevated presence at the event, thanks to a partnership with Ligne Roset. The furniture company incorporated a showcase of ceramics and CR magazines within a curated home environment. The Contemporary Ceramic gallery’s Marta Donaghey and Claire Dixon curated the display, presenting works by selected CPA members throughout the weekend.

There was also an outstanding selection of 20th-century ceramic works on display, presented by sponsor Adam Partridge Auctioneers. The collection featured pieces by Emmanuel Cooper, John Maltby, and Bernard Leach and Janet Leach. Their presence provided a thoughtful complement to the contemporary ceramics on show, highlighting the depth and legacy of studio pottery and reinforcing the importance of connecting today’s makers with the rich history of the medium.

The Hands-On area, which ran across all three days of the fair, offered visitors of all ages the chance to sit down, get creative and make their own work in clay with guidance and support from experienced makers throughout the weekend. It was wonderful to see so much creativity on display, with countless imaginative pieces emerging from the hands of visitors and families alike. On Sunday 10 May, Princess Fingall, known to many from the TV series The Great Pottery Throw Down, led a series of relaxed, beginner-friendly workshops. Participants explored everything from pinched and coiled heads to animals and vases in an informal and welcoming environment. The Hands-On area was made possible thanks to the generous support of Potclays, who donated the clay, and London Potters, who provided delivery support.

With over 120 exhibitors, 39 of which made their CAL debut, it was truly exciting to see so many new artists embracing the material in innovative ways. From vessels and functional wares to sculpture and wall art the range of ceramics on show was a wonderful example of the diversity of work that can be created from clay.

Ceramic Art London 2026 reflected a field that continues to expand in both scale and imagination. Across awards, talks and presentations, the fair offered more than just a snapshot of contemporary ceramics. As thousands of visitors attended the event over three days, the spirit of CAL was captured by its lively, conversational atmosphere, where serious collecting and open curiosity sit side by side.

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