CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Open Call for the Exhibition of Design and Functional Ceramics at the 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026, Ceramic Form and Function: Beyond Use
Organised by: National Museum of Slovenia & Center Rog
Exhibition dates: 15 May – 5 September 2026
Deadline for applications: Monday, January 7, 2026.
Application following the link.
The National Museum of Slovenia, in co-production with Center Rog, is organising the 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026. UNICUM is a leading international art exhibition held every three years. It serves as a catalyst for emerging artistic trends while emphasizing sustainability in contemporary art. The event provides a platform for artists, designers, and makers from around the world to showcase the most cutting-edge works while embracing a strong green agenda. UNICUM 2026 promotes sustainable practices by encouraging the use of environmentally friendly ceramic materials and techniques that reduce ecological impact.
This year, alongside the established open call and exhibition programme in the field of ceramic art, a new open call and exhibition dedicated to functional ceramics will be introduced, titled:
Ceramic Form and Function: Beyond Use, organised by Center Rog.
The exhibition seeks to highlight the intersections between design and everyday use, presenting ceramics as a living and contemporary medium that transcends the boundaries of classical function and enters a broader design context.
It will showcase innovative and functional ceramic works that rethink the usefulness and aesthetic expression of ceramics — from tableware and household objects to unique pieces that engage with contemporary living spaces and architecture.
In addition to traditional forms such as bowls, plates, and jugs, we are looking for works that push the boundaries of utility: lighting, decorative pieces, furniture elements, bathroom and kitchen accessories, ornamental objects, and more.
Submitted works should intertwine playfulness and practicality, positioning ceramics as an integral part of modern living. The selection will emphasize innovative solutions that develop sustainable approaches to ceramic design and respond to the current environmental and social challenges.
- Design and Functional Ceramics: Exploring forms, functions, and aesthetic expressions in contemporary ceramics. Functional objects that combine aesthetics and ergonomics for everyday use.
- Engaged Ecology: Sustainable approaches, environmentally responsible production, and ecological materials. This includes projects that reflect on waste reduction and recycling within ceramic production.
- Interior Design and Architecture: Integration of ceramics into living and public spaces and exploration of its influence on space and users.
- Ceramic Industry: Production processes, technologies, and innovations in serial or semi-serial ceramic production.
- Material Engineering and Glaze Development: Researching material properties, experimental development and applications in ceramic systems, and exploration of glazes, surface treatments, and decoration.
- Bio-Design: Integration of natural processes, biotechnology, and innovative materials in ceramic design.
The 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026 consists of a competitive exhibition and accompanying exhibitions and events across Slovenia. The Ceramic Form and Function: Beyond Use exhibition will take place at Center Rog, while the art ceramics exhibition (separate open call) will be presented at the National Museum of Slovenia. In parallel with the competitive exhibition, there will also be a student ceramics exhibition, featuring works selected by invited mentors from art schools and academies. A list of exhibition venues and events will be published on the official website: (www.unicum.si).
Terms and Conditions
Participation in the exhibition is possible through an open international public call.
Submission of entries is free of charge.
All artists, designers, and creators working with ceramics are welcome to participate in the 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026. Works may include other materials and media, but ceramics must remain the dominant element.
Each participant may submit a maximum of two works or projects, which may consist of multiple ceramic components. Due to spatial limitations, works must not exceed 4 × 4 × 4 meters in size, except for wall-mounted compositions (flat works), where the maximum size is 4 × 3 meters.
Applicants may only submit original works created within the past five years that have not been previously exhibited in other ceramic competitions or contests. If the organizer determines that the submitted work does not meet these conditions, it reserves the right to withdraw it from the exhibition. In case the work has already received an award elsewhere, any such award granted by the Triennial will be revoked. Members of the organizing committee and the international jury are not eligible to compete in the Triennial's competitive section. Based on the submitted documentation, the international professional jury will select the works to be presented in the exhibition. All shipping and return costs of the works are the responsibility of the artist.
Application
Applications must be submitted through the online application form available at the link provided on the Triennial's and Center Rog's website.
Each applicant must:
- correctly fill in the application form,
- attach two photographs of each work from different angles, in the prescribed format and print quality,
- name the photographs using the following format:
Title of the work_Dimensions in cm_Image1 (example: Vase_25x15x12_Image1.jpg),
- include a portrait photograph of the artist.
Photographs must be in JPEG (.jpg) format and 300 dpi resolution. The work should be photographed against a neutral background. Only images of the final version of the work intended for exhibition should be submitted. By submitting the application, the artist grants the organizer the right to use the provided materials for publication, catalog printing, and promotional purposes related to the Triennial. The organizer assumes no responsibility for any errors in the information provided by the artist. The artist bears full responsibility for the accuracy of all submitted data.
All submitted materials will be stored in the Triennial's archive as part of the open call documentation. Once a work has been selected based on the submitted photographs, it cannot be replaced or substituted by another work.
The organizer reserves the right to use photographic and video documentation of the selected works for exhibition and promotional purposes.
Deadline for Applications
The deadline for applications is January 7, 2026. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants are advised not to wait until the last day to submit their entries, to avoid potential technical difficulties.
Selection of Works and Notification
The international jury will select the exhibited works based on the submitted photographic documentation. A list of selected artists will be published on February 7, 2026, on the Triennial's official website (www.unicum.si and www.center-rog.si). Selected artists will also be notified via email.
Delivery of Works
Selected works must be delivered — at the artist's own expense — in a sturdy, reusable package suitable for return shipping, no later than April 25, 2026, to the following address:
6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026
Center Rog
Trubarjeva ulica 72
1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Artists must arrange door-to-door delivery and nail-to-nail insurance (e.g. via international express courier). Any customs fees incurred are the responsibility of the artist. Each work must be shipped in packaging that complies with recognized shipping standards and can be reused for return.
If the packaging is deemed unsuitable for return, the artist must collect the work in person; otherwise, the work becomes the property of the organizer.
Upon arrival, the condition of the work will be inspected, and the artist will be informed of its receipt. Works that arrive severely damaged or destroyed will not be exhibited and will be returned to the artist at their own expense, accompanied by a written damage report. Minorly damaged works may, with the artist's consent, be restored by conservators and included in the exhibition. If a work consists of multiple components, the artist must provide a layout or assembly plan, which will be used for installation at the Triennial.
Return of Works
Artists must collect their works no later than one month after the exhibition closes, i.e. by October 5, 2026, at their own expense. The work can be collected in person or the artist must arrange and pay for return shipping.
Exhibited works may also be donated to the National Museum of Slovenia which reserves the right to accept or decline the donation. If accepted, the National Museum of Slovenia may use and exhibit the donated work in accordance with its curatorial and promotional programmes.
Insurance
Insurance of the works during transport (from the artist to the organizer and back) is the artist's responsibility. Insurance of the works during the exhibition is the responsibility of the organizer.
International Jury for Functional Ceramics
- Susanne Jøker Johnsen (Denmark)
- Ann Van Hoey (Belgium)
- Rok Oblak (Slovenia)
The international professional jury will select the works for inclusion in the exhibition based on the submitted documentation. The jury will also decide on the recipients of two awards and two honorary mentions. All jury decisions are final.
Awards and Recognitions
For the field of functional ceramics, Center Rog will grant:
- Two awards in the form of artist residencies in the Center Rog studio (duration: one month),
or alternatively a full-year user package (valued at €400).
- Two honorary mentions will also be presented in the form of commemorative plaques.
Exhibition
The opening of the 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026: Ceramic Form and Function – Beyond Use will take place on May 15, 2026, at Center Rog in Ljubljana. The exhibition will remain open until September 5, 2026.
A printed exhibition catalogue and accompanying promotional materials will be published for the event. All participating artists whose works are exhibited will receive a complimentary copy of the catalogue.
Other Triennial Venues
- National Museum of Slovenia
- National Museum of Slovenia – Metelkova Branch
Organising Committee
- Honorary Prof. Dragica Čadež Lapajne – President of the Organising Committee of UNICUM, academic sculptor, specialist, artist, member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC)
- Assist. Prof. Dr. Mateja Kos Zabel – Art historian, museum counsellor, acting director of the National Museum of Slovenia
- Dr. Zora Žbontar – Art historian, senior curator at the National Museum of Slovenia
- Anja Radović – Designer and project manager at Center Rog
- Renata Zamida – Philosopher and journalist, director of Center Rog
- Alja Fir – Conservator-restorer, curator, and project manager at Center Rog
Organisers
Exhibition 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026
Organised by:
National Museum of Slovenia
Prešernova cesta, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Exhibition 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026 "Ceramic Form and Function: Beyond Use" organised by:
Center Rog
Trubarjeva ulica 72, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Contact Information
- Zora Žbontar – National Museum of Slovenia
- Anja Radović – Center Rog
anja.radovic@center-rog.si
+386 51 601 906
www.center-rog.si, www.unicum.si
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