Organizer Information
The International Ceramics Festival Mino, Japan, is a major international ceramics festival held every three years across the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture, one of Japan’s leading ceramic-producing areas. Established in 1986, the festival promotes the development of the ceramics industry and the advancement of ceramic culture through international exchange in ceramics design and art. Its main event, the International Ceramics Exhibition Mino, Japan, is an internationally recognized ceramics competition that brings together artists, designers, studios, and companies from around the world. The previous competition received 3,890 entries from 2,128 applicants representing 77 countries and regions.
Title & Description
14th International Ceramics Exhibition Mino
The 14th International Ceramics Exhibition Mino, Japan – International Ceramics Competition invites artists, designers, studios, and companies worldwide to submit works responding to the theme “Potential of Ceramics.” The competition encourages applicants to move beyond conventional approaches to ceramics, explore new materials, technologies, forms, functions, and ideas, and demonstrate the continuing creative potential of the medium.
The competition includes Ceramic Arts and Ceramics Design, with the latter divided into Factory and Studio fields. Approximately 200 selected works will be presented at Ceramics Park MINO in 2027.
Categories
- Ceramic Arts
- Ceramics Design – Factory Field
- Ceramics Design – Studio Field
Eligibility
Open internationally to everyone; there are no specific applicant qualifications. Individuals, groups, studios, and companies may apply according to the relevant category. Works must:
- Be primarily made of ceramics and created by the applicant.
- Have been produced on or after February 1, 2024.
- Not have been selected in another public competition.
- Be suitable for transportation and indoor exhibition.
- Generally occupy no more than 4 m², be no more than 4 m high, and weigh no more than 100 kg (100 kg per component for assembled works).
Applicants may submit up to three works per category.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected works will be exhibited at the 14th International Ceramics Exhibition Mino from October 8–November 7, 2027. Selected and award-winning works will also be featured in the exhibition catalog and on the organizer’s website.
Awards include:
- Grand Prix: ¥5,000,000
- Gold Award: ¥2,000,000
- Silver Award: ¥1,000,000
- Bronze Award: ¥500,000
- Special Judge’s Awards: ¥100,000
- Honorable Mentions: approximately 160–180 selected works excluding the major awards
- Sakazaki Shigeo Ceramics Award: ¥500,000 each for one Ceramic Arts work and one Ceramics Design work, for applicants aged 40 or younger at the deadline.
The Grand Prix winner receives round-trip transportation and accommodation to attend the award ceremony.
Important: Grand Prix and Gold Award-winning works are donated to the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 29 January 2027
- First Screening: February 2027
- First Screening Results: Around the end of February 2027
- Second Screening: Early April 2027
- Second Screening Results: Mid–late April 2027
- Overseas Artwork Delivery: July 8–12, 2027
- Final Judging: August 1–2, 2027
- Final Results: Early August 2027
- Award Ceremony: October 7 or 8, 2027
- Exhibition: October 8–November 7, 2027
Location
Ceramics Park MINO, Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Additional Details
The application is conducted in Japanese or English only. Each entry requires three JPEG images: one frontal view and two views from different angles. The design concept must not exceed 800 characters.
For overseas applicants who pass the second screening, the artist is responsible for transportation, taxes, insurance, and other delivery costs, although the organizer covers Japanese import duties and consumption tax. During the exhibition, the organizer provides insurance up to ¥300,000 per work.