Florence’s Ceramics Fair Illustrates the Art of Pottery

Florence’s Sbigoli pottery workshop, which participate in the October Ceramics Fair

The Florence’s Ceramic Fair, representing the 20th annual international edition of the event, will be held on Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 5 – 6) in Piazza SS. Annunziata from 10 am to 7 pm.

The event is part of an expanded monthly “Fierucola” market where Tuscan farmers normally display and sell their seasonal organic products, including dairy cheeses and home baked breads. Along with bounty for the table, the October fair offers visitors handcrafted works made by 90 ceramic artists from all around the Europe. Their creations include plates, vases, mugs, teapots, design objects for the home, jewelry, and other decorative items. 

Various workshops, including access to potter’s wheel, clay manipulation and modeling will give an opportunity for visitors to learn how to create their DIY pottery under the supervision of master potters for free. Children are invited to mould clay to create their own unique works.

Two ceramic artisan firms from southern Italy, who will be among the exhibitors, have scheduled  laboratories for the public. The craftspeople of Bhumi Ceramics (Celzi di Forino, Avellino) will focus on innovative product design.  The artisans of Terre Mediterranee (Paternò, Catania) will show their unique creations made of Mount Etna volcanic rock, characterized by colors inspired by the Japanese raku technique: hand-modeled pottery that is fired at a low temperatures.

A program of entertainment is also scheduled at the weekend fair in SS. Annunziata. On Saturday afternoon, the musicians of “La Leggera”  will perform folk music. The French company Kolelo will present a theatrical show on Sunday afternoon. 

At each stand of Ceramics Fair, visitors will be able to find a work dedicated and appropriately marked with the title “The Feminine Aspect in Ceramics,” as a contribution to “L’eredità delle donne,” (The Legacy of Women) festival concurrently taking place throughout the Florence metropolitan area.

The Daily Sustainable Ceramic project, curated by the Arte della Ceramica Association, will introduce the Daily Sustainable Ceramic circular economy project for waste reduction in collaboration with the Florence University department of Environmental Health and Engineering. 

For the occasion, via dei Servi, which leads to Piazza SS Annunziata, will turn into a “pottery street” dedicated to the craftsmanship of ceramics organized by Arte della Ceramica and La Fierucola APS. Along the road, La Compagnia dei Baffardelli, a street theatre company, will be offering a show with with performers in costumes and masks playing music. (mary filatova)