The ninth edition of the British Ceramics Biennial took place in Stoke-on-Trent from 6 September to 19 October 2025. Spode Works – the post-industrial site of the original Spode factory in Stoke Town – was animated by exhibitions, screenings, talks and events, shining a light on Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heritage and creative spirit.
Award 2025
Award is the Biennial’s headline exhibition featuring ten of the UK’s leading contemporary artists who created new work for the British Ceramics Biennial 2025.
Rare Earth Rising
Winner of the BCB Award Prize in 2023, Mella Shaw returns to present a new body of work. Continuing her environmental focus, Mella is drawing attention to the urgent issue of mineral depletion and deep seabed mining.
The Chimney Princess
For the People & Place Commission, Josie KO explores the importance of diversity in Stoke-on-Trent.
Raverina’s Dance Floor
Portuguese artist Carolina Garfo presents a sensory artwork exploring the intersection between sound and ceramics.
Sweet Terrain
Artists Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad and Rafael El Baz have developed a signature, intricately patterned tile in collaboration with Middle Eastern bakers in West London – drawing on the tools, aesthetics and craftsmanship traditionally used in making maamoul cookies.
Fresh Talent
Fresh Talent presents the work of five artists who won a BCB 2023 Fresh Talent Prize, which included a residency with a partner organisation.
Fresh 2025
The Fresh exhibition celebrates and promotes the new wave of artists working in clay.
Clay Films
The programme reflects the rich and expanding ways that artists are exploring clay through film and moving image; an area of practice that has historically received limited exposure.
Johnny Vegas and Emma Rodgers present a new body of work addressing the beauty and transience of physical contact and interaction. Created in collaboration with local people, the installation captures fleeting moments – fixing human hugs into permanent form.
Ceramic Cities Exchange
Ceramic Cities Exchange is a BCB partnership between Stoke-on-Trent and Bolesławiec, Poland, supporting emerging young ceramic artists.
Playscape
Playscape uses rammed earth – a sustainable, ancient construction technique that creates strong forms from highly compressed clay and aggregates – to explore how clay-rich waste materials can be transformed into a joyful, playful and creative public space. Inspired by a lack of play facilities in Stoke town centre, this project invites communities to connect through clay, storytelling and design.
Playscape Project Space
In the Playscape Project Space, the techniques for the rammed earth process were scaled down to make them more accessible and enabled participants to create their own miniature rammed earth forms.
Slip Tales
Part of BCB’s year-round programme working with community groups in Stoke-on-Trent, Slip Tales is an exploration and appreciation of the history and heritage of Staffordshire slipware.
University of Staffordshire
University of Staffordshire presents the work of the 2025 cohort who have developed and expanded their practice on the Ceramics MA.
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We look forward to welcoming you in 2027 for our tenth Biennial!
