Where matter takes the form of beauty

1001 Pots is back for another summer of ceramics

July 3 to August 16, 2026 in Val-David

Val-David, June 11, 2026 – Canada’s largest ceramics exhibition is back for its 37th edition, taking place from July 3 to August 16, 2026, in the heart of the village of Val-David. Once again this summer, the 1001 Pots garden transforms into a unique living space where visitors can slow down, touch the pieces, and talk with the creators. Hosting more than 120 ceramic artists from Quebec and beyond, this year’s event once again offers a rich program full of surprises.

Set in a breathtaking garden, away from the pace of everyday life, visitors move freely among the booths, chat with the artisans, watch live demonstrations, and try their hand at working with clay. From functional to sculptural ceramics, intimate sunset concerts, and workshops for all ages, 1001 Pots is as much a space of beauty as it is a space for connection.

“What makes 1001 Pots irreplaceable is the sense of connection it fosters between people, with the artists, and with the material. In a world saturated with information and speed, spending a day in this garden watching a piece come to life, talking with the person who made it, is a rare experience,” says Sacha Ghadiri, President of 1001 Pots.

This year, 1001 Pots invited French artists Jean-François Bourlard and Valérie Blaize for a residency focused on collaboration and creation. United by an experimental approach and boundless curiosity, the two artists explore the possibilities of ceramics through works, installations, and performances that push the boundaries of material, fire, and gesture. Their visit offers an opportunity to foster greater engagement with the public and Quebec ceramists.  

At Espace K, visitors will discover an exhibition featuring two major projects from their artistic practice, 1400° and Raku Punk. During their month-long residency at 1001 Pots throughout July, the artists will also offer public talks, masterclasses, and open studio sessions. On July 21 at 9 p.m., they will present Raku Punk, a spectacular live performance in which fire becomes a living material. This residency is organized in collaboration with the Rozynski Art Centre, with support from the CALQ.

1001 Pots will also host six artists in residence for one to two weeks, offering the public a unique opportunity to witness the ceramic creation process firsthand.

From July 20 to 24, Lou-Anne Daoust-Filiatrault will create a large stoneware piece each day, thrown in sections and assembled, exploring scale, modularity, and gravity as a sculptural language. From July 27 to 31, Eve-Marie Laliberté will develop a series of four sculptures made through slip casting and nerikomi slab construction. By layering coloured clays, her work will reveal vibrant, almost living patterns.

From August 3 to 7, Roxane Charest will combine wheel-throwing and deformation techniques to create unique sculptures marked by spontaneity and movement. Finally, from August 10 to 14, Ellora Rangaya will undertake the creation of 101 handles, conceived as a series of micro-sculptures where curve, tension, and chance become subjects of exploration.

From August 3 to 14, as part of a partnership with Concordia University and L’Atelier de l’Île, 1001 Pots will host two artists completing their studies, Edmond Rochette Pelletier and Célia Beauchesne, as they explore the possibilities of combining ceramics and printmaking.

The 2026 edition will feature more than 50 courses and workshops designed for all audiences, from children to professional ceramic artists. Introductory classes, wheel-throwing workshops, immersive weekend experiences, and intensive training sessions will allow participants to discover or deepen a wide range of ceramic techniques in a spirit of learning, experimentation, and knowledge-sharing.

Among the featured instructors, Catherine Parent-Gibbard will lead several intensive handbuilding workshops centred around thematic projects, while Annie Fournier will offer a week-long intensive exploring colour, texture, and glazes. Wheel-throwing enthusiasts will also find a rich selection of courses led by Audrey-Kim Forand, Evelyn Charette, and Paule Vézina, with workshops adapted to various skill levels. Jean-François Bourlard will lead a workshop on experimental firing techniques, and Valérie Blaize will lead a master class on transferring images onto ceramics. 

On Wednesday and Friday evenings throughout the summer, the Jardin de Silice (Silica Garden), an enchanting garden designed by ceramic artist Kinya Ishikawa and sculptor Jean-Denis Bisson Biscornet, will transform into an intimate outdoor concert venue. 

This year’s programme brings together artists from diverse musical traditions in a spirit of creative exploration and cultural exchange, featuring sitar master Uwe Neumann (July 10), harpist Valérie Milot and cellist Stéphane Tétreault (July 15), Splendeurs et tourments, a concert dedicated to Baroque music (July 17), Kurt et le Cabaret des cœurs (July 29), Musika: Tales and Melodies from Eastern Europe (July 31), Alan Gerber (August 5), Jad Orphée and his music inspired by French songs, levantine jazz, and baroque pop (August 7), the Quatuor Mémoire (August 12), and the Duo Concordance (August 14).

Les Veillées de Silice is a festival organized by Musiques d'Amytis, which promotes musical creation and performance in the Laurentians, with a particular focus on emerging artists."

Practical informationsWhen: July 3 to August 16, 2026
Where: 2435, rue de l’Église, Val-David (Exit 76, Highway 15 North)
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Closes at 5 p.m. on August 16)
Admission: $5 incl. tax (Free for children 12 and under)
Info: www.1001Pots.com

1001 Pots is financially supported by SODEC, MTO and the Municipality of Val-David.

1001 Pots is the largest outdoor event dedicated to ceramics in North America. Nestled in a stunning private garden in the heart of the Laurentians, the exhibition was founded in 1989 and brings together more than one hundred artisan potters to showcase the richness of contemporary Quebec ceramics. Committed to accessibility and cultural engagement, the event also offers courses, workshops, lectures, and an exclusive music programme. Deeply rooted in its region and community, 1001 Pots champions artisanal excellence, creative transmission, and sustainable tourism.