About The Craft Potters Association


The Craft Potters Association of Great Britain (CPA) was established in 1958, and is the national body representing ceramic artists in the UK. Its aim is to advance and encourage the creation of fine works in ceramics, and to foster and extend the interests of the public in such objects and to promote their value in society. The CPA was founded by a small group of potters as a Friendly Society and now has some 150 Fellows, 200 Professional and 500 Associate members including internationally recognised makers as well as many potters at the start of their careers. If you are interested in joining the CPA either as an Associate Member or as a Professional Member (membership by selection) please contact cpa@ceramicreview.com for details.

Contemporary Ceramics Centre


The CPA owns and operates the Contemporary Ceramics Centre, the leading studio ceramics gallery in central London. This has now been relocated to much larger premises at 63 Great Russell Street, opposite The British Museum. The gallery has an ever changing spectrum of members work always on display and available for sale. There will also be a dedicated gallery with solo exhibitions by leading national and international makers as well as themed and showcase exhibitions, including the work of emerging new makers. Our temporary Gallery at Somerset House is now closed. www.cpaceramics.com

Ceramic Review


The CPA also publishes Ceramic Review: The International Magazine of Ceramic Art and Craft. Ceramic Review is published bimonthly and is recognised as one of the world’s leading journals on contemporary ceramics. To purchase your subscription on-line visit www.ceramicreview.com

Educational activities


Promotion of interest in studio ceramics is a key element of the work of the CPA and to this end it arranges a full programme of educational events for members and the general public, including talks by leading potters, demonstrations and visits to studios, and in co-operation with regional and national potter’s societies arranges events and talks in different parts of the country and internationally.

In the 1990s the CPA, in partnership with Rufford Ceramic Centre, Nottinghamshire, initiated the Ceramic Fairs, aimed at introducing the general public to studio ceramics. Along similar lines, the CPA now organises the Oxford Studio Ceramics fair, at St Edward’s School, Oxford, showing the work of some sixty selected makers (www.oxfordsc.co.uk). This highly successful event is now seen as a valuable and important part of the CPA’s interaction with the public in seeking to promote the work of individual artists and to find new audiences.

Charitable Trust


In 1991 the CPA set up the Craft Pottery Charitable Trust to support educational activities. Trustees include a member of the Crafts Council and former officials and current members of the CPA. Funding for the Charitable Trust comes from donations from the CPA operating Companies and from personal donations, bequests and other fund raising activities organised and supported by members.

The Trust has several grant schemes, including an annual award of grants up to £1,000 in value, as well as occasional awards such as the Mick Casson Memorial Award for functional ware. Applications for the annual grant scheme must be submitted by 15th December and decisions are announced the following February.

Each year, at Contemporary Ceramics, the CPA organises a Setting Out exhibition, which is designed to launch new graduates on their ceramics careers. Colleges are invited to submit the work of two students for selection for the exhibition. The entrants may also apply to the Charitable Trust for a bursary of £500 to enable them to carry out individual postgraduate projects.

For further details about the work of the Charitable Trust please contact cpa@ceramicreview.com

Security


The organisers of CAL and the CPA will only use information you give to us for internal administration and marketing of CPA events and no details will be passed to a third party. All information will be treated according to the Data Protection Act.

If you want to know more about the Data Protection Register, please visit www.dataprotection.gov.uk