Greetings from Oslo, Norway. My name is Karin Amdal, I have taken over the baton from Graham Hay as the global rep for Ceramics NZ. I have a background as an art director and designer, did my DCA in 2017/18 and have worked full time with clay since 2019 (you can see my work here). Based in Wellington for 20+ years, we moved to Norway in 2023. I miss NZ, the ceramic community there, and have a foot (and a kiln) planted in both countries, travelling back regularly.

Moving continents as a potter has been an interesting experience. Clay folks are good people everywhere. Things are a little more formal up here, but there’s a lot going on. I am still finding my way, working in a shared studio, which is the common way here.

I will try and keep you updated on international opportunities, residencies and events, and to build an online archive of these. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you have anything to add, or if you have participated in any international events and would like to share the experience, good or bad. I’d love to hear from you.

There’s quite a jungle of opportunities to explore. Ceramics Now has quite a good calendar, available here. I recommend signing up for their newsletter. It’s a great, monthly resource and it’s free. 

Deadlines come and go, if you see something you’re interested in, sign up for the newsletter, make a note in your calendar, there’s always next year.

Current open calls to keep in mind:

International Ceramics Festival Mino, Japan

Entries are now open (February 2, 2026 – January 29, 2027) for The 14th International Ceramics Exhibition Mino, Japan. More information here 

International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) Congress

Registration for the 2026 IAC Congress is now open. The 52nd Congress and General Assembly of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) will take place from 27 June to 2 July 2026 in Jingdezhen, China – a historic city and the world-renowned capital of porcelain. You’ll find more information here, and a step by step guide how to apply for members and non members here.

The congress coincides with the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale 2026, 27 June to 2 July 2026. Information here.

Officine Saffi Award, Milan, Italy

Applications are now open (January 29 to June 26, 2026) for the sixth edition of the Officine Saffi Award in Milan, Italy, with submission of works inspired by the theme ‘Forms of Belonging’. More information here.

Artist residencies 

With your days getting shorter and colder, here are some links to residencies that you can browse through.

Resartis is a great resource for finding international residencies. Info here.

The Ceramic School has a list of ’10 artist residencies in Europe you should apply for’. Find it here.

EKWC in the Netherlands is an international artist-in-residence and research centre for ceramics. For over 50 years, artists, designers and architects from all over the world have worked here to experiment with clay. Website here.

Guldagergaard in Denmark, serves as an international center of knowledge and dissemination for ceramic art, with its artist-in-residence programme as the cornerstone. Website here.

In Latvia, the Rothko Museum invites artists to apply for a individual residency programme that provides an inspiring and comfortable setting for creative work. Info here.

Spitsbergen Artists Residency, Svalbard. This one is close to me, half way between the very north of Norway and the north pole. Incredible arctic landscape. Beware of polar bears. It’s not free, which reminds me to also try list funding opportunities.

That’s it from me this time. Have a good autumn!