We are delighted to announce the launch of the Northern Industrial Ceramic Commission, in partnership with Made North.

This award provides up to two second year participants on the Ceramics Starter Studio Programme the opportunity to make new work as part of the Northern Industrial Project, run by Made North. This year’s recipients are Mike Scown and Victoria Dawes.

The resulting work should convey a sense of northern-ness through the choice of materials or way of manufacture and should also be ‘useful’ and commercially viable.

Mike Scown intends to make a tea set comprising tea pot, two mugs, sugar bowl, milk jug and a tea bag dish;

“The set will be glazed using an ash glaze made from Yorkshire Tea bags, currently under development. There's nothing more northern than a cup of Yorkshire Tea."

Victoria Dawes has chosen to make a collection of pieces for bread and butter, including a bread crock, butter dish, 9 inch plate and a butter knife;

“The collection ‘Black Ware’ will be a celebration of a self-contained family life, providing for and taking care of each other through industrial work and domestic chores with the kitchen table at the heart of the home.”

The finished commissioned works will be displayed at MADE NORTH Gallery from Saturday 9th July - Saturday 27th August 2016 as part of Sheffield’s Year of Making and will subsequently tour within the UK and overseas as part of the Northern Industrial Project.

This ceramic commission will now be an annual feature of the Starter Studio Programme presenting another opportunity and learning experience for the emerging ceramicists on the programme.