York Art Gallery opened its Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) in August 2015, following a major £8 million development project. CoCA aims to encourage the understanding and enjoyment of British studio ceramics. A new retail space on the first floor offers the opportunity to sell high quality ceramics to visitors.

About York Art Gallery and the Centre of Ceramic Art

York Art Gallery is part of York Museums Trust, a registered charity which also manages the Yorkshire Museum and the Castle Museum. The gallery works alongside colleagues across these sites, including learning, volunteering, marketing, enterprise and digital media staff. York Art Gallery is a major regional gallery which works in partnership with a range of local, regional and national partners including the Art Fund, Tate and the National Gallery. It also has a highly supportive and active Friends group.

Our collection of British studio ceramics is one of the largest and most important in the UK, comprising of over 5,500 ceramics and supporting archives. The collection is the result of several major gifts and loans from collectors including Dean Eric Milner-White, W.A. Ismay, Henry Rothschild and Anthony Shaw. We have also received gifts from artists, bequests and made acquisitions with external funding. Our collection continues to grow to reflect contemporary ceramic practice and reflect its status as being designated as nationally important. Our aim is to create a pre-eminent resource for the study and enjoyment of British studio ceramics in the UK.

Artistic Policy and Selection Criteria

The CoCA shop aims to offer a range of high quality, affordable work by artists working with clay. The same high standards that apply to acquisitions for York Art Gallery’s collection will be applied when choosing work. When acquiring work for the collection we look for unique, interesting and significant work by local, national and international artists, works that reflect a range of styles and techniques, revealing the creative practice of contemporary potters. 

The work submitted may, but does not have to have a connection to our exhibition programme or our collections which can be accessed here- www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/collections/

More information about CoCA can be found here- www.centreofceramicart.org.uk

The selection of artists is made by the Gallery’s management team which includes curatorial, learning, front of house and retail staff.

Consideration is given to how each artist’s work sits together with other applicants and a balanced and complementary display.

The selection team will want to physically see examples of the work by successful applicants and reserves the right to withdraw the offer or refuse to display work if it is not up to standard.

The Call Out

Artists working in clay are invited to apply for the opportunity to sell their work through the CoCA shop. We have a rolling program of displays in the shop, ensuring returning visitors have the opportunnity to see something new each time they visit and to give exposure for lots of artists.

Each artist will be shown for 3 months and artists may be required to re-stock during this period according to sales.

Due to the restrictions of space, works must be a maximum size of 40cm x 50cm x 22cm (HxWxD). Work must be freestanding. Wall mounted work will not be accepted.

Please submit a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 high quality images of the work you would like us to consider. 

The successful artists will be required to provide an artist’s statement which will be used in the display to inform visitors. Artists are encouraged to visit the gallery and talk to retail staff about their work as part of our staff training and to enable us to share information with visitors and promote sales.

Artists are not limited to one display and may be invited back on more occasions.

As this is a rolling programme with no final deadline, only successful applicants will be contacted and feedback on unsuccessful applicants will not be given. If you do not hear from us within 6 months of submitting, you may assume you have been unsuccessful and you may wish to consider submitting a fresh application.

Fees and Commission

York Art Gallery will take 50% commission after VAT on all sales.

Successful artists must be able to re-stock as required.

We are applying to take part in the Arts Council’s ‘Own Art’ scheme.