Muğla hosts 1st International Ceramics Symposium

The 1st International Muğla Ceramics Symposium is being held at Karabağlar Plateau, Narlı Kahve, from August 15 to August 30, 2026. Organized through a collaboration between Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, and Menteşe Municipality, the event focuses on the theme ‘Ancient Heritage: Ceramics from Ages to the Present’.

The symposium aims to create an international platform by merging thousands of years of ceramic cultural heritage with contemporary art. Invited artists from Turkey and around the world will participate in workshops, production processes, and knowledge exchanges. Mehmet Tüzüm Kızılcan serves as the guest of honor for this inaugural event.

During the opening ceremony, Muğla Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Aras and Menteşe Mayor Gonca Köksal Aras demonstrated the Raku firing technique. Wearing protective silver heat suits and masks, they removed ceramics heated to between 900 and 1000 degrees Celsius from special kilns. The pieces were subjected to smoking processes with materials like stones and dried leaves before being cooled in water to create unique glaze cracks and metallic effects.