Pots of interest in Whangārei Quarry Arts Centre ceramics competition

Outgoing manager Ali Goodman helps new manager Sally Lush get up to speed in her new job.

A highly prized pottery competition organised by the Northland Craft Trust could become an annual event attracting work from across the country and even overseas.

This year's Quarry Arts Centre Open Ceramic Award has a first prize of $1000 as well as two merit prizes of an annual membership in the national Society of Potters.

"We want to grow the mana of this event so it rivals the top ceramics events of the country," trust chairwoman Kate Smedley said.

"The Quarry Arts Centre is striving to raise its profile as one of the pre-eminent ceramics centres in the country."

The trust will seek corporate support for next year's event which Smedley would like to see carry a first prize of about $2500.

The competition has attracted about 75 entries from 45 potters, the furthest submitted by Jane McCulla from Lyttelton and the bulk of entries from the Whangārei district as well as Auckland.

The event is being judged by prominent Auckland potter Peter Lange, a winner of national awards as well as recipient in 2016 of the NZ Order of Merit for his services to ceramics.

The winning works will be announced tomorrow at the Quarry Arts Centre's Yvonne Rust Gallery and entries will be on display there from August 25 to September 10.

The inaugural Quarry Arts Centre Open Ceramic Award on Friday marks the end of an era, with manager Ali Goodman's resignation and Sally Lush taking over the role.

Goodman said the ceramic award is the highlight of her two-and-a-half-year tenure, followed by overseeing this year's Great Plate fundraiser and overseeing building of the quarry's new wood fired kiln last year.

This year's Great Plate event raised more than $18,000, up from last year's second best figure of $7000.

Northland Craft Trust chairwoman Kate Smedley said Goodman had taken the Quarry Arts Centre to the next level.