This evening, Friday 19 September, Jo Taylor was announced as the winner of the British Ceramics Biennial’s £10,000 Award Prize – the leading platform for contemporary ceramic practice in the UK.
Jo Taylor awarded UK’s largest ceramics prize for her Bridgerton-inspired vessels
Jo Taylor was selected from a shortlist of 10 leading contemporary artists working in clay for (Not) Guilty Pleasures, a collection of eight large-scale sculptural vessels that distil the essence of Rococo through the use of curves, ornament, asymmetry and theatricality. Their creation was inspired by a conversation where the television drama Bridgerton – with its unapologetic celebration of opulence and colour – was referred to as a ‘guilty pleasure’. Jo Taylor’s work is part of the British Ceramics Biennial’s headline exhibition, Award, at Spode Works, Stoke-on-Trent until 19 October.
Alun Graves, Chair of the Award selection panel and the V&A’s Senior Curator, Ceramics and Glass 1900 – now, comments:
‘British Ceramics Biennial Award 2025 encompasses a remarkable and powerful range of work that demonstrates the boundless possibilities of clay. The exceptional shortlisted artists have worked in diverse ways, from the boldly sculptural to the finely detailed, creating works that reflect and address contemporary themes and experiences. From this outstanding group, Jo Taylor stood out for her extraordinary sculptural reinterpretation of Rococo style, (Not) Guilty Pleasures. This bold and arresting installation of robust, richly ornamented and highly characterful ceramics offers a reflection on our very human need for pleasure and joy.’
The 10 artists in Award embody the vitality of contemporary ceramics practice in the UK. In addition to Jo Taylor, the 2025 cohort are: Kyra Cane, Fernando Casasempere, Noor Ali Chagani & Clio Lloyd-Jacob, Susan Halls, Leah Jensen, Charlotte Moore, Jane Perryman, Alison Rees and Daniel Silver.
Four early career artists at a launch moment in their creative practice have also been awarded Fresh Talent Prizes at the Biennial. These prizes include residencies in partnership with academic and cultural institutions with whom they will develop new work. Selected by a panel of advocates for contemporary art and making from the 25 artists in the Biennial’s Fresh exhibition, the 2025 Fresh Talent Prize winners are: Bahareh Khomeiry for Guldagergaard International Ceramics Research Center; Kaytea Budd-Brophy for University of Staffordshire; Elliot Mountain for British Ceramics Biennial and Catalin Filip for Grymsdyke Farm.
Clare Wood, Artistic Director & CEO of British Ceramics Biennial comments:
‘It’s thrilling to see the calibre of artists taking part in these core parts of the Biennial programme this year. Fresh and the Fresh Talent Prizes celebrate and promote the new wave of artists working in clay, while Award celebrates the vitality of UK contemporary ceramic practice and is a hugely important platform for established artists. Jo Taylor exhibited with us in Fresh back in 2011 and is a brilliant example of how our work with artists continues and develops at different stages of their practice.’
Jo Taylor and the Fresh Talent Prize winners will be invited to present new work in the 2027 British Ceramics Biennial.
The ninth edition of British Ceramics Biennial – which brings together exhibitions, installations, special events and hands-on experiences – is at Spode Works in Stoke-on-Trent until 19 October 2025.
A selection of work in the Biennial is for sale, with prices starting from £100.
For more press information please contact Iliana Taliotis mail@ilianataliotis.com
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