The Burton launches Curatorial Fellowship in Ceramics with support from The Headley Trust

The Burton at Bideford has secured more than £100,000 from The Headley Trust to launch a new Curatorial Fellowship in Ceramics and expand research, learning and public engagement around its ceramics collections. The funding marks a major investment in developing specialist expertise and ensuring The Burton's ceramics collections continue to inspire future generations.

The award builds on the recently announced DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund grant, which will support the relocation of The Burton's ceramics gallery. Together, the two grants will transform how the collection is displayed, interpreted and shared, creating new ways for people to discover North Devon's rich ceramic heritage.

A key part of the funding is the creation of a new Curatorial Fellowship in Ceramics. The first of two Fellowships over the next three years, it will give an early-career curator the opportunity to develop specialist knowledge through research, exhibitions, collections care and public engagement.

The Burton cares for more than 1,000 ceramic works spanning over 300 years, from the renowned RJ Lloyd Collection of North Devon slipware to twentieth-century and contemporary studio ceramics. Together, the collections tell the story of North Devon's internationally significant pottery tradition while showcasing the skill and creativity of makers across generations. This investment will help unlock the collections through new research, improved access and fresh opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and learn from these remarkable objects.

Harriet Cooper, Director of The Burton, said:

"North Devon has one of Britain's most remarkable ceramic traditions, and The Burton cares for collections that tell that story. But we believe museums should do more than preserve the past—they should help shape the future.

We want our collections to spark curiosity, encourage new research, support artists and makers, and inspire the next generation of curators. Whether we're opening up our galleries, working with contemporary artists or creating opportunities for people to make with clay, we're bringing our collections into conversation with the present.

We're incredibly grateful to The Headley Trust for sharing that vision. Their support allows us to invest not only in our collections, but in the people who will research, reinterpret and share them with new audiences."

This funding comes at an exciting time for ceramics at The Burton. Over the coming months, visitors can explore a growing programme of exhibitions and hands-on making opportunities. Highlights include a new exhibition by current Ceramics Artist in Residence Edie Evans, whose work explores the connections between architecture, ceramics and North Devon's clay landscapes, alongside Let's Clay!, a major 75th anniversary celebration that will transform the galleries into a working ceramics studio with free drop-in sessions, workshops, talks, demonstrations and the firing of The Burton's historic bottle kiln in Victoria Park. Together, these projects celebrate ceramics as a living creative practice, connecting North Devon's rich pottery heritage with artists, makers and communities today.

Applications for the Curatorial Fellowship (Ceramics) 2026–27 are now open and close at 10am, Wednesday 9 September.

Image credit: Mary Rich from The Christine Halstead Collection