The ICF is Europe’s premier ceramics festival which is held at Aberystwyth Arts Centre on the campus of Aberystwyth University. Since it began in 1987, the three-day festival has grown to become the UK’s leading ceramics event.
The Festival is an opportunity to meet and study the work of distinguished, internationally known potters and ceramicists from Wales, the UK and around the world. The focus is both practical and inspirational – kilns are built, pots are made and fired. There are opportunities to take part in hands on activities as well as donate work to the popular Cup Sale.
Aberystwyth University ceramic collection and archive
Aberystwyth Arts Centre is home to Aberystwyth School of Art's Ceramic Collection. The collection is particularly noted for its studio pottery of the period 1920-1940 and for contemporary ceramics from the 1970s until the present. The collection has fine examples of pottery by Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, Katharine Pleydell-Bouverie, Norah Braden, Charles and Nell Vyse, William Staite Murray and Reginald Wells.
The collection also includes a fine body of nineteenth century slipware and Welsh porcelain of Nantgarw and Swansea. The main collection was formed during 1920-1936 and since 1974, there has been an active acquisitions policy culminating in over 2000 works, many are acquired through the International Ceramic Festival.
