Call for Submissions
In partnership with the Alberta Craft Council, Edmonton and Calgary, AB
Medalta, Medicine Hat, AB
Common Ground APA Member Exhibition
The Alberta Potters’ Association (APA) invites submissions from members in good standing for Common Ground, a juried exhibition of contemporary ceramic art.
Apply through APA ArtCall
About the Exhibition
Common Ground, will feature ceramic art that celebrates connection, community and the diverse voices of Alberta's ceramic artists. As an organization dedicated to supporting potters and ceramic artists across the province, our goal is to showcase exceptional artwork while fostering meaningful dialogue within the arts community.
Common Ground will be on display:
April 24 to June 5,,Alberta Craft Council
10186 - 106 Street NW, EdmontonJuly 10 to September 4, cSpace Gallery, Alberta Craft Council
1721 - 29 Avenue SW, 2nd Floor, CalgaryOctober 29 to December 11, Medalta
713 Medalta Ave SE, Medicine Hat
Theme
Common Ground offers a moment to reflect on connection and shared experience forged through clay. Rooted in ancient tradition yet continually evolving, ceramic art provides a powerful lens to explore the medium and unity of clay. This exhibition highlights the strength and diversity of Alberta’s ceramic arts community while fostering meaningful dialogue across perspectives and practices.
Important Dates
February 1: Submission deadline
March 1: Notification of conditional acceptance
March 2 - April 1: Delivery of work to one of the ACC offices:
Alberta Craft Council
10186 - 106 Street NW, Edmonton
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 5pmAlberta Craft Council
cSPACE - Marda Loop 1721 - 29 Avenue SW, 2nd Floor, Calgary
Tuesdays - Friday: 11am - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 5pm
April 22: Notification of final acceptance
Opening receptions:
April 24, Edmonton
July 10, Calgary
October [DATE TBC], Medicine Hat
Artist Presentations
Artists are encouraged to attend the opening receptions and share their stories, ideas and inspiration behind their work with fellow members and visitors to the exhibition(s).
ACC is also exploring opportunities for artist demonstrations and talks during the Calgary exhibition.
Application Guidelines
Eligibility
Open to all APA members in good standing at both the time of submission and during the exhibition.
Submission Requirements
Open to all APA members in good standing.
Submitted works must be primarily ceramic. Both functional and sculptural works are eligible.
Submissions will only be accepted through the APA Art Call.
Each submission must include a max. 100-word artwork statement.
Image files must be in the form as detailed in the Image File Specifications section below.
All work must be original.
Pieces may not have been created as part of a class or workshop or have been displayed at APA/ACC/Medalta previously.
Image File Specifications
Images must show the artwork only, without background elements. Use a neutral white or professional gradient background.
Images must be clear, crisp, clean and accurate representations of the work submitted.
Images must be free of date stamps, watermarks, copyright symbols or any other markings that may obstruct the image.
Photos should be taken from multiple angles.
Image files should be appropriately labelled: APA_2027_Common-Groun-Exhibition_[Artist]_[Title of Work].[file type].
Images submitted with your application may be used by APA, ACC and/or Medalta for both print and digital promotion.
Jury Process
Works will be selected based on:
Artistic merit
Technical excellence
Relevance to the exhibition theme
Contribution to overall exhibition cohesion
The APA is committed to representing diverse artistic voices, career stages and regional perspectives from across Alberta.
Exhibition Contract
Artists are responsible for shipping work to the Edmonton or Calgary ACC offices prior to the April 1 deadline and for the shipping or retrieval of work from the location indicated in the application when the exhibition is complete.
Accepted pieces are committed for the duration of the exhibition.
Items must arrive packaged securely and appropriately, ready for transport by a courier or risk being excluded from the show.
This exhibition will accept both works for exhibition only and works for sale at a split of 60% payable to the artist and 40% retained by the galleries for their programming.
Submission fees must be paid in full prior to the submission deadline.
Submission fees are non refundable and per submission.
Submission fee does not guarantee acceptance into the exhibition.
Only finished work will be accepted. Pieces can not be altered, fired or re-fired after submission. No substitutions will be accepted.
The APA, ACC and/or Medlata reserve the right not to display pieces that differ significantly from the submitted image or do not present to a professional standard.
All pieces must be gallery-ready for installation complete with installation instructions and specific hardware if required.
Each piece must be clearly and securely labelled with the name of the artist and title of the work.
Liability and Insurance
The listed price of the piece should reflect its insurance value (as obtained by the artist).
While the APA, ACC, Medalta staff and volunteers take every effort to ensure careful handling, the APA, ACC, and/or Medalta are not responsible for any damage, breakage, theft or loss to any pieces. Submission is at the risk of the artist.
Insurance of pieces is the responsibility of the artist and at their discretion.
Transportation Protocol
Artists are responsible for ensuring that their artwork is appropriately and securely packaged for transportation.
Artists are responsible for delivering their artwork, at their own expense, to either of the designated Edmonton or Calgary locations and for picking up their pieces at the location designated in their application following the exhibition.
Artwork will be transported between the three galleries for the exhibitions at no expense to the artist. Following the completion of the exhibitions, artwork will be held at ACC in Edmonton/Calgary and Medalta for pick up as indicated in the artist application.
How to Apply
Submissions accepted through APA ArtCall.
Fee: $40 per entry, paid through APA ArtCall.
Submission fee is per-entry, non-refundable and due before submissions close Feb 1.
Submissions must include high quality photos with a neutral background.
For questions or additional information, contact:
Alberta Potters’ Association
Terri Eger, Director
membership.albertapotters@gmail.com
Chelsey Tellier, Vice President
vp.albertapotters@gmail.com