International Academy of Ceramics

Extend your journey through ceramics.

Before and after the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen, participants can join six optional tours across China.

The Pre- and Post-Congress Tours include:

Pre-Congress Tours
5-Day Itinerary: Beijing, Shanghai and Yixing
5-Day Itinerary: Beijing, Longquan and Dehua
8-Day Itinerary: Beijing, Xi’an and Jingdezhen

Post-Congress Tours
4-Day Itinerary: Jingdezhen, Longquan and Dehua
5-Day Itinerary: Jingdezhen, Shanghai and Yixing
7-Day Itinerary: Jingdezhen, Xi’an and Beijing

These routes offer the opportunity to discover ceramic heritage, museum collections, historical kilns, creative districts, studios and cultural landmarks across China.

Full itineraries are available on the official Congress website.

The 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen will bring together an exceptional constellation of voices from across the international ceramic community.

This final speaker spotlight gathers perspectives on heritage, archaeology, design, residency programmes, digital culture and AI.

Huang Chunmao
2 July 2026 – Long Time No See, Chinese Rituals
Professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, connecting ceramic design, Chinese tradition and contemporary creation.

Lyu Pinchang
29 June 2026 – Moderator, Historical Perspectives
Artist, educator and leading figure in Chinese ceramic and sculptural education.

Fang Lili
29 June 2026 – Heritage and Innovation, an anthropological approach
A leading voice in art anthropology and intangible cultural heritage.

Jiang Jianxin
29 June 2026 – A Study of Yuan Dynasty Official Kilns and Yuan Blue and White Porcelain
Ceramic archaeology scholar with major research and restoration work connected to Jingdezhen’s heritage.

Wang Luxiang
30 June 2026 – Moderator, Global Dialogue and Local Practices
Cultural scholar, television host, artist and critic.

Piet Stockmans
30 June 2026 – Be Yourself
Belgian ceramic designer and educator with a long-standing practice in ceramics and design.

Ranti Tjan
30 June 2026 – Joint presentation on Residency Programmes
Former director of the European Ceramic Workcentre, with deep experience in residencies and exhibition-making.

Yuhang Zhang
2 July 2026 – Artificial Intelligence Empowers Mass Innovation in Ceramics
Designer and AI specialist working at the intersection of technology and ceramic innovation.

Robert Hassan
2 July 2026 – Analog Embodiment and Digital Alienation
Professor of Media and Communication, exploring politics, technology, media and philosophy.

Discover the full programme and register via the link in bio.

Residencies and the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen 2026 ✨

In the lead-up to the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen, the IAC Special Residencies Project brings together selected IAC artist members across seven residency centres in China.

From March/April to June 2026, 60 IAC artist members are invited to develop their own work in dialogue with local contexts, ceramic traditions, materials and communities. Rooted in the IAC’s mission to foster intercultural exchange and collaboration, this special initiative culminates in the IAC International Residencies Exhibition at the Taoxichuan Art Museum, presenting works created by each artist during their residency.
Within this exhibition, a dedicated section entitled Clay for Peace, proposed by IAC member Jacques Kaufmann, will present collaborative works created during the residencies by IAC members working together, or with Chinese IAC members and local artists.

The Quyang Ding Kiln White Porcelain Contemporary Ceramic Art Center is connected to the heritage of Ding Kiln, one of China’s Five Great Kilns of the Song Dynasty. Originating in Quyang County, Ding porcelain is especially known for its white porcelain, fine texture and smooth glaze. During the residency, IAC artists engage with this local ceramic heritage while developing their own projects through studio practice, exchange, material research and firing processes.

Discover the full congress programme via the link in bio.

Residencies and the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen 2026 ✨

In the lead-up to the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen, the IAC Special Residencies Project brings together selected IAC artist members across seven residency centres in China.

From March/April to June 2026, 60 IAC artist members are invited to develop their own work in dialogue with local contexts, ceramic traditions, materials and communities. Rooted in the IAC’s mission to foster intercultural exchange and collaboration, this special initiative culminates in the IAC International Residencies Exhibition at the Taoxichuan Art Museum, presenting works created by each artist during their residency.

Within this exhibition, a dedicated section entitled Clay for Peace, proposed by IAC member Jacques Kaufmann, will present collaborative works created during the residencies by IAC members working together, or with Chinese IAC members and local artists.

The Yixing Creative and Cultural Ceramic Avenue (CCCA) residency is rooted in local ceramic traditions and innovation. In Yixing, artists engage with the history, culture and techniques of the region’s purple clay and traditional ceramics, from large-scale vessels and tea culture to surface work, carving and contemporary forms. During the residency, IAC artists are developing their own projects through studio practice, exchange and direct engagement with local ceramic knowledge.

Discover the full congress programme via the link in bio.

From plastic back to clay. A collective reflection on material, memory and responsibility.

Rethinking Plastic: Returning to Clay brings together members of the International Academy of Ceramics at Sculpture Space NYC, in an exhibition that invites us to reconsider our relationship with plastic and return to clay as a sustainable, meaningful and deeply human material.

Through functional, sculptural and installation works, participating artists explore the idea of clay replacing plastic literally, figuratively, metaphorically and politically, raising awareness of the environmental footprint of plastic pollution and the need to live with less plastic and more clay.

Rethinking Plastic: Returning to Clay
19 June – 18 July 2026
Reception: 19 June, 6–8 pm
Sculpture Space NYC, Long Island City, NY

Jurors: Judith Schwartz (USA), Monika Gass (Germany), Phyllis Kudder Sullivan (USA)

📷 Featured works:
Susan Beiner
Peter Callas
Ivan Albreht
Judit Varga
Ray Chen
Chris Gustin

Residencies and the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen 2026 ✨

In the lead-up to the 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen, the IAC Special Residencies Project brings together selected IAC artist members across seven residency centres in China.

From March/April to June 2026, 60 IAC artist members are invited to develop their own work in dialogue with local contexts, ceramic traditions, materials and communities. Rooted in the IAC’s mission to foster intercultural exchange and collaboration, this special initiative culminates in the IAC International Residencies Exhibition at the Taoxichuan Art Museum, presenting works created by each artist during their residency.

Within this exhibition, a dedicated section entitled Clay for Peace, proposed by IAC member Jacques Kaufmann, will present collaborative works created during the residencies by IAC members working together, or with Chinese IAC members and local artists.

The Zibo Modern Ceramic and Liuli Art Center operates in connection with the Zibo Ceramic and Liuli Museum, one of China’s major museums dedicated to ceramics and glass. The IAC residency takes place at Yanshen Ancient Town, a historic handicraft town in Boshan District, Zibo, known for its ancient kiln clusters and long ceramic history dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty. During the residency, IAC artists develop their own projects through studio practice, museum visits, local encounters, technical exchange and engagement with Zibo’s ceramic and glass heritage.

Discover the full congress programme via the link in bio.

Thinking of joining us in Jingdezhen?

There is still time to register for the 52nd IAC Congress, taking place from 27 June to 2 July 2026 in Jingdezhen, China.

Under the theme Heritage and Innovation, the congress will bring together the international ceramic community for a rich programme of conferences, exhibitions, cultural visits and shared moments around ceramics.

Full congress registration is open until 15 June 2026.

Day passes are also available (reserved for non-IAC members).

Register via the link in bio.

The 52nd IAC Congress in Jingdezhen will bring together an exceptional constellation of voices from across the international ceramic community.

This third selection of speakers opens perspectives on heritage, tradition, sustainability, museum practice, contemporary ceramic art and the future of Jingdezhen as a global ceramic centre.

Takeshi YASUDA
29 June 2026 – Tradition & Jingdezhen
Ceramic artist and educator, Takeshi YASUDA brings a practice shaped by clay, craftsmanship and international teaching.

Benjamin Evans
1 July 2026 – Moderator, Sustainable Development and Ecological Responsibility
Director of the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, Benjamin Evans brings extensive experience in curating, arts administration and international ceramic networks.

Sarban Chowdhury
1 July 2026 – Sustainability and Circular Economy in Ceramics
Artist, researcher and educator, Sarban Chowdhury explores ceramics through practice, ecology, research and contemporary artistic experimentation.

Bai Ming
30 June 2026 – The Development of Contemporary Chinese Ceramic Art
Artist, writer and professor, Bai Ming is a major figure in contemporary Chinese ceramic art, with an international exhibition and museum presence.

Zhang Jie
1 July 2026 – From History to the Future
Architect and professor at Tsinghua University, Zhang Jie works across heritage conservation, urban renewal and cultural sustainability.

Tetsuya TANAKA
29 June 2026 – Kogei Meets Contemporary Art
Artist and lecturer rooted in contemporary Japanese ceramics, Tetsuya TANAKA will speak from a perspective shaped by history and transmission.

Wayne HIGBY
29 June 2026 – Shadows and Shards
Professor Emeritus at Alfred University, Wayne HIGBY is an internationally recognised ceramic artist and Honorary Citizen of Jingdezhen.

Discover the full programme and register via the link in bio.

Matter, movement and memory. A working body in dialogue with clay.

IAC member Sofia Beça presents Where the Body Listens to Matter — Records of a Working Body at Espaço Mira in Porto, Portugal.

Developed through three artist residencies in China between 2024 and 2025, in Shangyu, Jingdezhen and Yixing, the works reflect the specific contexts in which they were created. Brought together in the exhibition, they unfold through series, variations and repeated gestures, where fragmentation, accumulation and traces of writing become part of the material language. The exhibition also extends beyond the objects themselves, with videos, photographs and a sound dimension including a vibrating installation and an original sound piece by Jorge Queijo.

Where the Body Listens to Matter — Records of a Working Body
Sofia Beça
11 April – 6 June 2026
MIRA Galerias / Espaço Mira, Porto, Portugal

📷 Featured work:
Exhibition and works: Sofia Beça
Photographs: António Chaves