Description
Our winter festival celebrating Canberra’s vibrant ceramics community
Rug up, bring your friends and family and immerse yourself in the world of ceramic making, creativity and community. experience Canberra Potters transformed into a bustling mini festival.
See live pottery making and firing demonstrations by exceptional Canberra region artists and get your hands in clay with ‘have a go' wheel throwing and hand building activities for kids and adults. Get creative at our free kids’ clay activity, running throughout the festival. Peruse the curated ceramic artist markets in the Canberra Potters Gallery and have a chat with our resident artists as they open their studios to the public.
Enjoy delicious food, drinks and live entertainment in the food precinct, including our famous Soup Bowl & Tumbler Fundraiser and a wine bar collaboration with our cultural partners Lerida Estate.
End the evening experiencing the spectacular opening of our woodfired Petal Kiln.
Come along to see the live pottery making demonstrations by exceptional Canberra region artists, including:
3.00pm – 3.45pm Alex de Vos: Wheel throwing off the hump
3.15pm – 4.15pm Cathy Franzi: Surface decoration
4.00pm – 4.45pm Fran Romano: Monoprint techniques on clay
4.30pm – 5.30pm Maryke Henderson: Altered forms
5.00pm – 5.45pm Jacky Lo: Japanese wooden moulds (kashigata)
6.00pm – 6:45pm Chris Harford: Throwing fast
6.15pm – 7.15pm Malcolm Cooke: Throwing large
7.00pm – 7.40pm Josephine Townsend: Nerikomi – the beauty of coloured porcelain
3.30pm – 6.30pm Abbey Jamieson: Raku Firing on the hour
3.00pm – 7.00pm Jackie Lallemand: Live handbuilt sculpture created throughout the event
With limited parking available onsite and in the surrounding streets, we've organised parking at Old Well Station Rd at EPIC and a free shuttle bus looping between the tram stop at Phillip Ave, EPIC, and Canberra Potters all afternoon.
Pre purchase your Festival Entry for $5 and book 'Have a Go' sessions for $5 - $10 at the purple button.
Please read through the information and requirements for each 'Have a Go' activity in the FAQ below to decide which is right for you then click the link to get your tickets.
See you there!
FAQs
- How to Get to Fired Up! Winter Festival
Parking will be limited in the area and we love our neighbours. Please park legally and do not park in Watson Shops carpark or other unauthorised parking areas while attending Fired Up. Please consider the following transport options:
Bike or walk: Canberra Potters | Watson Art Centre is 20min walk from the Phillip Ave tram stop, and a block away from the Northbourne Ave cycle path.
Offsite parking: We have organised offsite parking at EPIC on Old Station Well Drive with a free shuttle bus pickup spot:
Free shuttle bus: A fee bus will loop between the tram stop at Phillip Ave, Old Station Well Dr parking at EPIC, and Canberra Potters all afternoon. The first bus will be at 2.45pm from EPIC, last bus will be at 8.30pm from Canberra Potters.
Disability Parking & Access: Limited disabled parking will be available onsite for permit holders. An accessible, onsite drop off zone will operate throughout the event.
- Does the 'Have a Go' ticket include Festival Entry?
Please purchase a Festival Entry ticket along with your 'Have a Go' ticket. The 'Have a Go' tickets don't include entry to Fired Up festival,
Thank you for supporting our wonderful not-for-profit ceramics organisation!
- Have A Go: Wheel Throwing
Always wanted to try throwing clay on a potter's wheel? Here's your chance! As part of Canberra Potters' Fired Up festival, join one of our experienced pottery teachers for a fun, hands-on introduction to wheel throwing.
Each 30-minute session includes time to set up and clean up, with approximately 20 minutes on the wheel. You'll receive two balls of clay to practise with and plenty of guidance as you learn the basics of throwing.
Important Info:
Suitable for adults and children aged 7 years and over (children must be tall enough to comfortably reach the wheel pedal).
Please arrive 5 minutes before your session, as sessions start promptly.
Please note that work made during these sessions will not be fired – all clay will be recycled and reused (isn’t clay incredible!?)
What to Wear:
It's a good idea to bring along an apron or old towel as clay can splash
Wear clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting a little messy.
Please leave precious jewellery at home.
Short fingernails are recommended, as they make throwing on the wheel much easier.
Long hair should be tied back.
Your session includes time for set up and clean up, so please follow your teacher's instructions to help keep things running smoothly.
We hope you enjoy your first experience on the potter's wheel!
Ticket price doesn't include entry to Fired Up festival, please add Festival Entry before purchase. Entry tickets also available at the gate.
- Have a Go: Handbuilding with Clay
Try your hand at clay in this relaxed, creative handbuilding session as part of Canberra Potters’ Fired Up festival. Guided by experienced pottery teachers, you’ll learn simple handbuilding techniques to make a small clay creation or two!
As part of the afternoon/evening, participants will be invited to contribute to a growing collaborative community clay artwork, with each person adding their own creative response.
Important info:
Suitable for adults and children aged 5 years and over. This session is less messy than wheel throwing (but please don’t wear your finest clothes or jewellery!) and is suitable for all experience levels, including complete beginners.
Each session runs for 30 minutes, including 5-10 minutes for setup and clean up.
Please arrive 5 minutes before your session, as sessions start promptly.
Please note that works will not be fired and all clay will be recycled for reuse after the event (isn’t clay incredible!?)
What to wear:
Wear comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting a little dirty. Handbuilding is much less messy than wheel throwing, but you may still get a little clay on your hands and clothing- consider bringing an apron!
Please leave precious jewelry at home.
Long hair should be tied back.
During your session you'll create a small clay creation or two while learning some simple handbuilding techniques. You'll also have the opportunity to contribute to a collaborative community artwork that will grow throughout the afternoon and evening as more people add their creations.
We hope you enjoy getting creative with clay!
Ticket price doesn't include entry to Fired Up festival, please add Festival Entry before purchase. Entry tickets also available at the gate.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
