Aberystwyth University Ceramics Collection facts for kids
| Casgliad ac Archif Cerameg | |
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Front entrance, Ceramic Gallery, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
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| Established | 1920s (Collection), 1980s (Archive) |
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| Location | Aberystwyth, Wales |
| Visitors | Free entry |
| Nearest car park | Available nearby |
The Aberystwyth University Ceramic Collection & Archive is a special place in Aberystwyth, Wales. It's home to one of Britain's most important collections of studio ceramics. Studio ceramics are unique pottery pieces made by artists. This collection is especially famous for pottery made between 1920 and 1940.
You can see parts of the collection in the Ceramic Gallery at Aberystwyth Arts Centre. The archive office, which keeps important papers, is at the School of Art, Aberystwyth University. The university also publishes a magazine called Ceramic Bulletin every two years. It shares news about new art, research, and exhibitions.
Exploring the Ceramic Collection
This amazing collection started growing between 1920 and 1936. Since 1974, the university has actively added new pieces. Now, it has a large collection of modern ceramics.
The collection also includes beautiful 19th-century slipware. Slipware is pottery decorated with liquid clay. You can also find examples from many different times. These range from ancient archaeological pieces to Welsh porcelain from places like Nantgarw and Swansea. Porcelain is a type of fine, delicate ceramic.
In 1986, the display area was made bigger. A special gallery was built on the ground floor of Aberystwyth Arts Centre. The main parts of the collection are always on display in the back gallery. The front gallery shows changing displays and special touring exhibitions.
Different groups help support the collection. These include the Arts Council of Wales and the Council of Museums in Wales. The Crafts Council also lends pieces. Funds from the Victoria and Albert Purchase Grant Fund and the Art Fund help buy new items. The centre also runs regular learning programs for schools and families.
Discovering the Ceramic Archive
The Ceramic Archive started in the late 1980s. It was created because the Craft Potters Association (CPA) needed a new home for its records. The CPA is a group for potters. Their archive began in the early 1970s.
The goal was to collect documents that showed how the Craft Potters Association started and grew. By 1988, the CPA archive had become very large. It needed a bigger, more permanent home. So, its contents were offered to and accepted by the Aberystwyth University Ceramic Archive. This archive is based at the School of Art, Aberystwyth.
Most of the paper documents from the Ceramic Archive were moved. They are now kept at the National Library of Wales since 1997. However, any information directly about the artists in the Ceramic Collection stayed at Aberystwyth University.
What Can You Find in the Archive?
The Ceramic Archive holds many interesting things:
- Files with information about all the artists in the collection.
- Old magazines and books about British ceramics.
- Catalogues from art auctions.
- Reference books about ceramics from all over the world.
- Many foreign journals about ceramics.
- Catalogues from British ceramic exhibitions.
- Audio and video materials about ceramics and studio pottery.
- The "Ceramic Series" – nearly one hundred articles written for Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
- Documents and photos about the International Ceramics Festival.
- Papers related to the Craft Potters Association.
- Documents about touring exhibitions of the collection.
- Information about ceramics courses, including those at Aberystwyth University.
- Administrative documents about the archive itself.
