“Save thousands of studio hours learning and travel bucks

‘A challenge with learning ceramics in New Zealand is the distance from countries with wider and deeper pools of ceramic experts and educators. (Of course, this also means we have the advantage of not being constrained by stifling traditions or excessive peer pressure within larger clay communities. Instead, we can take or leave what we want and have more time to make and experiment).

However, many of us are never afraid to fly overseas to learn directly from the best experts, in whatever clay knowledge or method we are curious or passionate about, wherever they are.

A simple way to get more bang for your precious studio budget or travel bucks: Rather than making multiple overseas trips to learn from leading expert makers and teachers, a single trip to an international conference or festival will save thousands of hours and dollars. These large gatherings provide dozens of the best experts and outstanding makers all in one place. Plus, away from the everyday distractions at home, attending a conference creates a more social, mentally focused, and intense learning experience. Apart from the huge, over-the-top annual NCECA conference in the US (off my radar for the next few years, for obvious reasons), here are a few clay conference options to consider.

Wedge, the 2025 Australian triennial ceramic conference, has attracted some of the leading international ceramic artists and teachers, bringingthem all together in one place. While this year’s event in October is on the far western Australian coast, it’s not too late to grab a flight. The program is up now at https://www.australianceramicstriennale.com.au/, and it’s jam-packedwith talented and generous experts from around the globe. Plus, travelling to the western third of Australia is so different from the rest of the country (just google: swimming with a whale shark, and the Western Australian wild flower season). WA has much in common with NZ, a small population who also won the America’s Cup due to a similar “can do” and innovative mentality—not surprising really, as it’s home to 76,000 Kiwis! You’ll meet a few at the conference too!

If that’s too soon, next up on your bucket list is the eurocentric International Academy of Ceramics (or Internationale de la Céramique) conference in China in 2026. Don’t be fooled by its old-world title; it really is the peak world ceramic association and a conference par excellence. While it’s less well known in NZ, as its annual conference is usually held in very expensive Europe (it did start there and still has its base in Geneva, Switzerland), it now has a truly global membership. Current NZ members include Cheryl Lucas, Royce McGlashen, John Parker, Aaron Scythe, and Elena Renker. The IAC is more compact and more internationally focusedthan NCECA. The bonus is that it is in, and you can explore Jingdezhen (China in 2026) the amazing “Porcelain Capital,” which has produced the finest porcelain for  1,000 years. It will completely upend your clay thinking! Enrol via https://jingdezhen2026.aic-iac.org

Put India in your 2028 travel diary. We’ve just heard that Kolkata will host the 2028 IAC conference. Like the Jingdezhen event, you don’t have to be a member of the IAC to attend. So, apart from flights, it will be an inexpensive way to see and hear from the very best international clay artists all in one place, as well as explore amazing India within a very supportive environment of fellow clay lovers. India has one of the oldest ceramic traditions, as well as a now-thriving contemporary ceramics community which is now beginning to attract international attention. Just seven years ago, it started the amazing Indian Ceramics Triennale; five years ago, it formed a national ceramic art association; and it finally launched Marin, a national ceramic art journal (https://icaf.org.in/membership), in 2023.