Receiving the Award from James & Becky Otter of Potclays Ltd

& Steve Mattison from The International ceramics Studio. (Photo courtesy of Ian Marsh)

The Keckskemet Residency award is a new biennial award offered by the International Ceramics Festival held every two years at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales, and the International Ceramics Studio in Keckskemet, Hungary, and supported by Potclays Ltd of Stoke on Trent.

The Residency award is open to all ceramic practitioners including mid-career and late adopters of ceramics wishing to work in a rich and cultural environment.

I was taken by surprise when I received the news that I was to be awarded the Keckskemet residency award 2017, at the International Ceramics Festival in Aberystwyth. I was notified a week or so before before Earth and Fire, and I had to keep it quiet until the presentation.... Which was quite difficult!! I have been lucky enough to visit the ICS before, and it was an extremely important turning point in my practice. The work I made there in 2007 kickstarted my journey back into my work, and my career as a ceramic artist. It provided me with a new avenue of inquiry that would come to influence the work I produced for my Masters Degree in 2016.

Visiting The International Ceramics Festival to receive the award (Made by Kevin Millward) Was a brilliant experience, It was an opportunity to meet some extremely talented makers from all over the world, including Germany, Syria, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and the USA, and to meet emerging talent from the UK.

I will be returning to the International Ceramics Festival in 2019, to present my experiences and the work I made while in Keckskemet.

I have dedicated a page within my website to document the residency and that can be found HERE.

The Award Made by Kevin Millward