Kiln it — porcelain hub pulls foreign artists

Flagship event

If Taoxichuan embodies the city's contemporary creative energy, the annual China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo represents another side of that opening — one that is more formal, more public, and more consciously outward-facing.

First held in 2004, the expo has gradually grown into one of Jingdezhen's flagship international events. During the 2025 edition, the city launched the 1819 Ceramic Carnival, which brought ceramic culture into the streets through float parades, markets, exhibitions and performances woven into daily urban life.

According to official figures, the carnival drew 480,000 visits, generated 570 million yuan ($82 million) in on-site transactions and drove 2.73 billion yuan in related consumption.

The expo has also given artists a reason to return.

French ceramic artist Manon Valle came back to Jingdezhen for the third time during the 2025 expo, joining its artist-in-residence community. For her, the city offers something that is increasingly rare: a place where artists from different cultures can meet not only briefly, but meaningfully.

"It's really important to meet people who are not from your own culture. It allows us to grow," Valle said.