Quarry Ceramic Awards 2023
This Award remains “OPEN” with no size limit (within reason, our Gallery is small).
ABOUT: The Quarry Ceramic Awards are proudly hosted by the Northland Craft Trust and exhibited in the Yvonne Rust Gallery, at the Quarry Arts Centre (Whangarei). The Awards are a National Competition with works accepted from around Aotearoa, as long as they are made from predominantly ceramic. The Awards are “open” meaning there is no criteria for entries – anything goes, small, large, vessel, sculpture. In 2022 communications about the QCA, a size restriction was going to be in place. However, this has been removed, and all sizes are welcome. We welcome the wide-variety of art that is submitted each year.
ENTRIES OPEN: Entries for the 2023 Ceramic Awards are now open, and close on Sunday 27th August 2023. You will need 3 digital photos catalogue-worthy of your entered work as part of your entry form.
ENTRY FORM: Click here for Entry Form
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: These can be found here.
ON SHOW: The Exhibition will be on show from Friday 13 October (opening 5pm) and closes Saturday 11 November. All pieces will be for sale.
PRIZE POOL
Open Ceramic Award – Top Prize – $2000 in cash and prizes
Youth Award (30 & Under) – $600 cash and prizes
Judges’ Merit Awards – $1100 in prizes from Sponsors
Quarry Kiln Award – Up to $500 use of Quarry Kilns
People’s Choice Award – 4 week residency at Driving Creek + $1000 to spend on clay, glazes and firings
A quick history of the Quarry Ceramic Awards
A ceramics awards of some kind has been running in Northland for 20 years. For the first 15 years it came under the name of the ‘Northland Potters Award’. This was started by Susie Leigh Rogers as part of an initiative with New Zealand Potters to celebrate local ceramics artists. This event was for Northland potters only and was a $1000 acquisitive award sponsored by the Whangarei District Council. You can see the pottery acquired by the WDC during this time in Forum North and Botanica Gardens.
In 2018 the coordination of the Awards were handed over to the Quarry Arts Centre. The awards were opened up to be a National Award named the “Open Ceramics Award”, also $1000 top prize. In 2022 the name changed to “Quarry Ceramics Awards” with additional awards added and the prize pool expanded.
Quarry Ceramics Awards 2022
Winners for QCA2022
Watch the Judges Speeches and Winning Announcements
Read about the QCA2022 Artists and Artworks
UPCOMING: Changes for the 2023 Awards
In 2023 the Quarry Ceramic Awards entrants will be challenged in a competition of small-scale ceramic artworks. In the age of growing consciousness around the environmental impact and dwindling resources and space, we thought it current to focus the QCA on the precious, ecological, quality over quantity that the intimate nature of a smaller artwork can bring.
What is the essence that a small object can bring to a space? In 2021 both the ‘Open Award Winner’ and ‘Runner Up’ were in this small size category. In 2023 we will challenge entrants to enter works that are under 30cm x 30cm x 30cm in dimensions. With a whole year to plan we are excited to see what the ceramics community of New Zealand come up with!
A Quick History of the Quarry Ceramics Awards
A ceramics awards of some kind has been running in Northland for 20 years. For the first 15 years it came under the name of the ‘Northland Potters Award’. This was started by Susie Leigh Rogers as part of an initiative with New Zealand Potters to celebrate local ceramics artists. This event was for Northland potters only and was a $1000 acquisitive award sponsored by the Whangarei District Council. You can see the pottery acquired by the WDC during this time in Forum North and Botanica Gardens.
In 2018 the coordination of the Awards were handed over to the Quarry Arts Centre. The awards were opened up to be a National Award named the “Open Ceramics Award”, also $1000 top prize. In 2022 the name changed to “Quarry Ceramics Awards” with additional awards added and the prize pool expanded.
The Annual Quarry Ceramics Awards are hosted by the Northland Craft Trust here in the Yvonne Rust Gallery. The Quarry Ceramics Awards is a National Level Competition. The category is “Open”, meaning all styles of ceramic art are welcome from across New Zealand as long as they are predominantly made from ceramic materials. Each year a notable guest judge is invited to judge the competition.
Awards for the Quarry Ceramics Awards 2022
These awards are “open” meaning there is no criteria for entries – anything goes, small, large, vessel, sculpture. Please note, this rule will slightly change for the 2023 competition.
Open Ceramics Award Winner
- Top Prize – First Place.
- Chosen and awarded by Judging Panel.
Open Runner Up
- Runner up to Ceramics Award Winner
- Chosen and awarded by Judging Panel.
Judge’s Merit Awards
- Works with merit that have caught the Judging Panels’ eye.
- Chosen and awarded by Judging Panel.
Youth Ceramics *NEW*
- 25 and under
- Chosen and awarded by Judging Panel.
Quarry Kiln Award *NEW*
A new award is part of the Quarry Ceramics Awards 2022. This award will be given to a Northland emerging artist of merit to help continue to pursue their passion in ceramics.
- Winner gains the use of the Quarry Kilns, up to $250 in value.
- Chosen and awarded by Judging Panel.
People’s Choice Award *NEW*
A new award, determined by vote of the public. National level voting permitted.
- An award sponsored by Driving Creek Pottery in Coromandel.
- 4 week residency stay at Driving Creek.
- Up to $1000 in clay / glazes / kiln firings.
