Collaborative

At its core, ceramics is an art of connection, between hands and clay, makers and materials, tradition and innovation. Collaborative embraces this ethos by pairing ceramic designers with artists from diverse disciplines to create work that is both functional and visually striking. For London Design Festival 2025, County Hall Pottery becomes a space of dialogue and experimentation. Ceramicists Joe Hartley, Carla Wright, Fran Fossi, Catherine West, and Edmund Davies, each of whom run a community pottery space, join forces with creatives including architects, woodworkers, musicians, and visual artists. Together, they explore what happens when clay intersects with sound, food, wood, and more. Each collaboration pushes the limits of form and function. From tableware designed to transform the living experience to sculptural pieces that explore sound and tactility, the works produced reflect a vibrant exchange of ideas and skills. The result is not just a showcase of finished pieces, but a celebration of process, conversation, and mutual influence. Collaborative is rooted in community, co-creation, and craft. It underscores the transformative power of working together, where unexpected outcomes emerge, and where new relationships between materials and disciplines are forged. Visitors are invited to witness how clay, as both medium and metaphor, becomes a bridge between practices and people. This exhibition is a tribute to shared making, a reminder that innovation often begins where disciplines overlap, and that design thrives in collaboration. Collaborators are: Joe Hartley & ANEW Recovery Community in Tameside, Manchester Edmund Davies x Otis Ingram Catherine West x Ben Stanton Francesca Anfossi & Frances Gibson Carla Wright & Isobel Anderson