People & Place commission sees artist Josie KO exploring the role of Black women in Stoke-on-Trent in The Chimney Princess.

Inspired by the shape of the city’s iconic bottle kilns, Josie created a new goddess for the city.  This collaborative project with the artist and the local communities brings a variety of backgrounds together to create an immersive and transformative installation, highlighting the diversity in the city. 

About the People & Place Commission

The People & Place Commission seeks to celebrate the British Ceramics Biennial’s location in the UK’s capital of ceramics, Stoke-on-Trent. This inaugural commission focuses on working with contemporary UK-based artists interested in using the heritage of Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire as creative stimuli. Rooted in place and in the field of contemporary ceramics, it was important for both communities in Staffordshire and nationally to join and make this important commissioning decision. People and Place provided British Ceramics Biennial with the opportunity to work with our communities to select the commissioned artist. Artists were shortlisted by the most popular vote amongst panel members and using votes made by the panel and a final interview process the final decision was made. 

People and Place brought together leading curators, directors of arts organisations, talented potters and creatives, the British Ceramics Biennial Advisory Network and Stoke-on-Trent residents who have participated in previous British Ceramics Biennial programmes. Using their significant perspective, they each placed a vote, commented on and ultimately decided whose work they wished to see at British Ceramics Biennial 2025.