ClayHouston Award for Texas BIPOC Ceramic Artists

ClayHouston Award for Texas BIPOC Ceramic Artists is sponsored by ClayHouston. This award provides funding for ceramic artists who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC) in Texas. Two awards are given, one for emerging artists and one for mid-career and beyond.

ClayHouston Award for Texas BIPOC Ceramic Artists The ClayHouston Award for Texas BIPOC Ceramic Artists is dedicated to providing funding for ceramic artists who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color. ClayHouston has created this award as part of our ongoing efforts to cultivate greater diversity and access in the field of ceramics, with a focus on Texas artists.

ClayHouston will give two awards of $1,200 to an individual in each of the following categories: Emerging: Self-identifying as student and/or early career. Must be 18 years or older. Formal training or an academic background are not required.

Mid-Career and Beyond: Non-Emerging. Self-identifying as mid-career or established. Must be 18 years or older.

Formal training or an academic background are not required. The 2025 award was juried by Devin Mays . Devin T.

Mays (b. Detroit, MI) is an artist interested in the here and there of things. He uses sculpture, installation, performance and pictures for pleasure.

He often refers to his practice as a place for things to become Things. Mays has exhibited and performed at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Galerie Martin Janda, Vienna; The Power Station, Dallas; The Renaissance Society, Chicago; gta exhibitions, Zürich; Sweetwater, Berlin; F Gallery, Houston; SculptureCenter, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Regards, Chicago among others.

Mays is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art at Rice University. Applicants must be currently living in Texas and 18 years or older. Open to functional and sculptural ceramic artists who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color.

Past award winners may not reapply for a period of 3 years. Work must be completed within the last 2 years. Each work must be made mainly of clay with other media taking a minor role in the piece.

Each artist must submit 5 pieces (diptych and triptychs included). Next Year’s Award dates will be announced here at a later time. Applicants must fill out a submission form and send all required photographic documentation .

Only submissions sent via the Form will be accepted. The Form will require the following information: Name, Email, Phone Number, City, Category Photographs of 5 original artworks for consideration: Second photo optional of alternate/detail view. No more than 10 photos total submitted.

You must submit at least one high resolution (300 dpi) photograph of each artwork and may include an optional second detail high resolution (300 dpi) photograph per work. Photographs should be in JPEG, TIFF, or PNG format. Please label each submission with your last name and title of the work as well as the artwork number from the application.

Add the word “detail” for the optional secondary photos (for example: “SmithTitleofWork1. jpg”, “SmithTitleofWork1detail. jpg”).

By submitting your work, each winning artist gives ClayHouston permission to use submitted digital images (including any variations of) for publicity purposes. This is a blind juried award.

Each awardee will receive $1,200 and a full year membership to ClayHouston which includes a monthly newsletter, an invitation to participate in the Annual Member Exhibition, a member profile page with photos on the ClayHouston website, an invitation to participate in the Annual Pop-Up Sale and Studio Tour sales event, access to Houston’s Reuse Warehouse, and discounts on ceramics workshops, talks, and events.

Artists will be notified by e-mail of the results. Please direct questions to info@clayhouston. or