The European Ceramic Work Centre (EKWC) is unique. The entire organisation, from the building and facilities to the staff and all our activities, is dedicated to fostering the artistic and technical development of ceramics in art, design and architecture.
At the heart of our mission is the international residency programme that, each year, offers sixty creative makers from all disciplines the opportunity to spend three months focusing on one specific medium: ceramics. This enables them to undertake research, deepen their practice or carry out ambitious plans that can only be realised at EKWC.
Residents are provided with a spacious studio and access to EKWC’s exceptional facilities. Our technical experts offer support, suggest options, advise on practical execution and troubleshoot potential complications, while leaving residents complete creative freedom. This fosters a fertile environment for experimentation and imagination, in which the ceramic process is the catalyst for an ongoing exchange between the EKWC advisors and the residents.
For many artists, a residency at EKWC provides a significant professional stimulus that has a lasting impact on their practice and career. The work created here is featured in exhibitions, museums, private collections and public spaces around the world. With this, the EKWC’s residency programme has played a role in the creative infrastructure within the Netherlands and far beyond since 1969.
At the same time, we work with a variety of educational, corporate, cultural and social partners to secure the future of ceramics. We develop new knowledge and innovative applications, facilitate practical experience for students in vocational education, promote the transfer of knowledge to the next generation of advisors and conduct research into sustainability across all areas of the organisation.
The interaction between different creative disciplines and diverse spheres of work makes EKWC a vibrant cultural hub where knowledge of ceramics is continually being developed and passed on. We share our insights and experience through presentations, forums, online platforms and publications such as The Ceramic Process and the EKWC Yearbook. We also welcome many international visitors and delegations, run weekly guided tours and, three times a year, open the centre to the public free of charge during the EKWC Test Case.
EKWC is situated in a former leather factory in Oisterwijk. Our technical facilities include 16 spacious studios; electric and gas kilns with a capacity of up to 6,000 litres; workshops for techniques including glazing, mould-making, 3D techniques and sound; libraries, and testing and research facilities. For our residents we have 17 apartments and a communal kitchen, two washing machines, a piano and a guitar.
history
The history of EKWC starts on December 7, 1969 in Heusden. The Ceramic Work Centre (KWC) was founded on the initiative of ceramicist Jan Oosterman and curator Bernardine de Neeve of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. At that time, the centre was primarily intended to provide Kiln facilities. It soon became clear that this was not only efficient, but that it also promoted collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The number of facilities has grown over the years. The KWC offered workshops and seminars and contacts with museums, galleries and (potential) art buyers. In 1991 the centre moved to larger premises in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Due to new, international ambitions, the name changed to EKWC (European Ceramic Work Centre). Thanks to 11 studios spread over two floors, 45 artists-in-residence could be welcomed per year.
The mix of facilities, knowledge and contacts offer career opportunities. Not only for skilled ceramicists, but also for other disciplines. Since the early 1990s, more and more non-ceramicists have registered for a working period. The resulting experiment, technical development and dynamic ensured that the centre occupied an increasingly relevant position in the field of ceramics; indirectly the EKWC influences the (international) world of art, design and architecture
In 2015 the centre moved to its current location. With 16 workspaces, the current building offers the possibility to welcome 60 participants every year. In addition to a studio and apartment, artists-in-residence gain access to the workshop with various kilns, a specialized team, a plaster, glaze, wood, metal and research department, a spray booth and a library that is accessible day and night.
Thanks to the spacious building, EKWC is now able to also receive general public, higher education and business groups. The centre frequently collaborates with international art academies, scientific institutes, galleries, museums and the (ceramic) industry. Knowledge acquired in both technical and artistic fields is recorded, made available and distributed internationally in the form of masterclasses, exhibitions and publications as before.
Experienced artists and young talents work side by side at EKWC. Over the years, the institute has received many talents and renowned names for a working period, such as Tony Cragg, Anish Kapoor, Jose Maria Sicilia, Kimpei Nakamura, Jun Kaneko, Karin Arink, Thom Puckey and Tom Claassen.
Staff
Sander Alblas | sander@ekwc.nl
Advisor 3D and digital
Froukje van Baren | froukje@ekwc.nl
Advisor workshop
Linda Barkhuijzen | linda@ekwc.nl
Housekeeping
Yves Brandsma | yves@ekwc.nl
Maintenance
Annelies Broenink | annelies@ekwc.nl
Tours, events and shop
Luc Daamen | luc@ekwc.nl
Advisor workshop
Nanne Op ‘t Ende | nanne@ekwc.nl Copy writer
Lesja van Hoof | lesja@ekwc.nl Advisor workshop
Eva Hoonhout | eva@ekwc.nl
Program manager
Geertje Jacobs | geertje@ekwc.nl
Director
Katrin König | katrin@ekwc.nl
Advisor workshop
Debbie Lutter
Workshop assistant
Katrina Niebergal | katrina@ekwc.nl
Advisor workshop
Monique Ouwers | monique@ekwc.nl
Housekeeping
Marianne Peijnenburg | marianne@ekwc.nl Workshop Coordinator
Ingrid Thijssen | ingrid@ekwc.nl
Office manager
We are lucky to have an enthousiastic group of volunteers who help us with the shop, archive, library and photography. Would you be interested to join them? Please contact geertje@ekwc.nl
supervisory board
Chair: Jan van Heijningen
Yasser Ballemans
Lucienne van Dijk (auditcie)
Marcelle Hendrickx
Annemarie Piscaer
Tet Reuver (auditcie)
The board works completely unpaid, expenses directly related to work for the foundation may be claimed.
EKWC is qualified as Cultural ANBI: a non-profit Public Benefit Organization.
VAT number: NL 0029 200 62 B01
RSIN number: 29.20.062
address: see contact details
supervisory board: see board
financial responsibility
The annual accounts, including balance sheet and statement of income and expenditure, for past years are available here. This shows how our income is obtained.
The managing director is responsible for preparing reports, which are discussed quarterly with the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board.
Annual report 2020 (in Dutch): download here
Financial statement 2020 (in Dutch): download here
Annual report 2021 (in Dutch): download here
Financial statement 2021: download here
Annual report 2022 (in Dutch): download here
Financial statement 2022: download here
Annual report 2023 (in Dutch): download here
Financial statement 2023: please contact info@ekwc.nl
Annual report 2024 (in Dutch): download here
Financial statement 2024: download here
Annual report 2025 (pdf in Dutch): download here
Financial statement 2025 (pdf) download here
