Our Policies and Guidelines
Some essential things you need to know to stay safe and well at Clay Gulgong 2026
CLAY GULGONG AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Since its founding in 1989, Clay Gulgong has been a vital cultural and economic event for the town of Gulgong and the surrounding rural communities. Every two years, the festival attracts artists, collectors, students, and visitors from across Australia and around the world, providing a significant boost to local businesses, including accommodation, cafés, restaurants, and shops. For a small rural town, this influx of visitors is a major contributor to the local economy, supporting livelihoods and encouraging ongoing investment in community infrastructure.
Beyond its economic benefits, the festival enriches the lives of local young people by exposing them to the world of art and ceramics. These experiences spark creativity, curiosity, and appreciation, fostering learning and possibilities that extend well beyond the classroom.
The Gulgong community has warmly welcomed visiting potters for more than three decades, creating a culture of hospitality, support, and mutual respect. This spirit allows artists to share their skills, develop professionally, and build lasting connections with the town, while the local community enjoys the vibrancy and creativity that the festival brings.
Clay Gulgong continues to strengthen the economic, cultural, and educational life of Gulgong, ensuring the festival remains a meaningful celebration of art, community, and rural vitality.
GETTING THERE:
The cleanest way to travel to Clay Gulgong is by public transport, and in recent years we have seen a growth in festivalgoers travelling by coach, train, or other modes of transport – last time one person rode a bike! We’d encourage you to join them and reduce your carbon footprint.
If arriving by public transport is not an option, please fill all seats in your car and make the most of your mileage. This will go a long way toward protecting our environment, reducing carbon emissions, and lowering travel costs. Using our social media platforms to seek or advertise car sharing is hugely welcome.
If you are driving to the festival, you’ll need to make sure you find parking that does not obstruct any access points for residents. If you are unsure about the legality of your parking space, we encourage you to place a note on your vehicle with your phone number so residents can contact you if necessary.
If you’re planning on travelling to the festival in an electric vehicle, make sure you have sufficient charge for your return trip; however, if you do need to juice up, check out Gulgong Herbert Street Council Carpark | Gulgong, NSW | EV Station
ACCOMMODATION:
For your safety, we recommend that you consider the following points before booking any accommodation that is not within the town:
· What is the access like between the site and the festival?
· How far do I have to travel/walk?
· Is it a walking route or is there transport?
· Is there a well-lit safe route to and from the festival?
· Do I need to walk on the busy roads in the dark? We do not recommend walking on the main roads at night, as traffic moves quickly and there are few pavements or footpaths.
SAFETY IN GETTING BACK TO YOUR ACCOMMODATION AT NIGHT:
While we always recommend making sure you have a friend with you – especially when returning to the Showground Campsite, please note that Gulgong is amazingly forward-thinking in its approach to looking after its residents and visiting festival goers. Clay Gulgong will cover the Nightrider’s operating costs for each night of the festival.
Nightrider Courtesy Bus
The Gulgong Liquor Accord operates the National Road Safety Award-winning Nightrider Bus Service on Thursday nights from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm, and on Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00 pm until 1 hour after the last licensed venue closes, or 1:00 am (whichever is earlier).
The bus will travel up to 20km from Gulgong township and relies on donations and weekly payments from most licensed venues. Out-of-town customers are encouraged to notify the night-rider driver before 10 pm if they require a lift home, as the bus must be in town by venue closing times.
The bus operates on select special occasions/long weekends as an additional service for the town.
Call 0428 903 393
Looking after local wildlife
Country roads are shared with incredible wildlife – and you’ll see plenty of them on your visit.
Please drive cautiously, especially at dawn and dusk, and slow down where conditions allow. If an animal appears suddenly, brake safely and keep control of your vehicle—do not swerve in a way that risks serious injury.
We care deeply about local wildlife—but care more for your safety.
If you come across an injured animal, as an act of kindness, this is the number to call:
1300 094 737, which will put you in contact with WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation.
WHAT TO BRING:
• A print-out or e-copy of your festival ticket.
• Personal ID if you are paying as a full-time student, including documentation proof from your tertiary institution.
• Money/cards. Cash is preferred for purchases at the Delegates Exhibition, but cards are accepted elsewhere. There is an ATM in town.
• Mobile phone and battery pack. Internet coverage can be inconsistent, and Wi-Fi is available in many accommodations.
• Earplugs – if you’re staying in the campsite, or anywhere else where the community spirit extends into the early hours!
• A reusable water bottle, to fill up from available taps.
• Tent (lines/poles/groundsheet/pegs) – everything you need if you’re camping.
• Sleeping mat/sleeping bag/duvet/pillow – or if you’re staying in the dormitory.
• Sturdy boots and a pair of comfy shoes – you’ll be surprised how much walking you’ll do.
• Waterproof coat and umbrella – the weather is unpredictable at this time of year.
• Change of weather-appropriate clothing (in case you get wet!), including cosy sweater – it can be hot in the day and chilly at night
• Toiletries. REUSE, REDUCE, RESPECT. In a stand to make our world more sustainable, we ask you to avoid single-use items and opt for reusable options wherever possible, and help us look after the land on which the festival stands.
• Medication if required.
• Next of kin notification: We will be asking you to provide this when registering, if you have not done so already.
• Medical info (allergies, etc.) – and please alert the registration desk if there is anything we need to be particularly aware of.
• Toilet roll. It’s a busy week, and toot paper can run out often and not replenished quickly.
• Sun cream + hat
• Contraceptives
• Spectacles/contacts and solution
• Torch/batteries/bulbs (spares)
• Bin bags (for dirty clothing and footwear)
• Mark things such as your specs, cases, and notebooks with your name so they can be posted back to you.
WHAT NOT TO BRING:
• Do not bring more than you need. Remember, you’ll need to take it all home again and avoid the temptation to dump it in the rubbish bins in your rooms or at the campsite. Most items can be purchased in town if required.
• Do not bring disposable vapes. They pollute the environment and pose hazards at waste centres.
• Don’t bring gazebos. They occupy valuable tent space at the campsites. We’d also rather you didn’t put tape around your tent enclosures, please. It makes it harder for others to reach their tents.
• Do not bring excess packaging. If you purchase anything new for the festival, please remove all excess packaging at home before you arrive.
• Do not bring body glitter. Even biodegradable body glitter will not break down properly without heat treatment.
• Please avoid the use of disposable wipes. Wipes – even biodegradable wipes, which quickly break down into microplastics – are problematic environmental pollutants. Plant fibre-based biodegradable wipes emit greenhouse gases during decomposition, so we encourage people to use alternatives. A washcloth/flannel and a bar of soap work wonders!
The following are prohibited items:
• Portable laser equipment or pens.
• Animals (except registered guide dogs), and we are happy to discuss emotional support dogs.
• Sky lanterns, kites, fireworks, or flares.
• Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) – yep, we know who you were last time!
Federal Regulations
Under the Commonwealth Poisons Standard, nitrous oxide is classified under Schedule 4. This designation indicates that it is available only via prescription for legitimate medical purposes, such as anaesthesia and pain management in clinical settings. The federal government monitors its distribution and uses closely due to associated health risks. Misuse can result in significant penalties, highlighting the need for awareness among potential users.
State Regulations
State regulations regarding nitrous oxide vary significantly across Australia. In some states, such as New South Wales and Queensland, specific laws ban the sale and use of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes. Other jurisdictions may impose restrictions on the availability of goods without a permit or specific licensing requirements for sale.
This substance is banned at Clay Gulgong. It is extremely dangerous to inhale nitrous oxide directly from the canister. If you take too much nitrous oxide, you risk falling unconscious and/or suffocating from the lack of oxygen.
• No unauthorised tape recorders, professional film or video equipment are allowed on-site. Cameras for personal use are welcome.
• Flying or filming with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, aka drones), you will need to check the regulations first State and territory rules | Drones
We host the festival in a residential area, and the safety of our local residents, delegates, crew, and staff is paramount. Please be careful and responsible.
PERIOD ADVICE:
Tampons and sanitary pads are available at the registration tent for anyone who is having difficulty purchasing them. As always, please ensure that disposal of both is managed in a way that does not impact the town’s sewerage system.
In 2026, we are providing a period-proud space at Red Hill – a bathroom equipped with a sink, warm water, and soap to hygienically clean reusable products to assist people in managing their period with dignity. Details of the period-proud space will be included in your program guide, which you will collect at registration.
CONTRACEPTION:
Safe sex is the best sex. If you do not use a condom, you put yourself at risk of catching STDs, including gonorrhoea, syphilis, or chlamydia, as well as risking pregnancy. Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) is available from the Gulgong Dispensary or Gulgong Medical Centre. Condoms are available from the registration tent.
MEDICAL and FIRST AID ADVICE at CLAY GULGONG:
As with every festival, we notify all local hospitals, emergency and medical services, and the police of the expected number of additional visitors to Gulgong between April 11th and 17th.
Need a pharmacy?
There is one dispensing/retail pharmacy in town, The Gulgong Pharmacy, which is at the lower end of Mayne Street, opposite the CBA.
Medical and First Aid
Gulgong Medical Centre has been looking after festivalgoers for years. Most problems can be dealt with there, and very few people have had to go to the hospital for treatment. The Medical Centre provides comprehensive medical and first aid services.
The Medical Centre is located at 102 Herbert Street, on the same side of the street as the Memorial Hall. The telephone number is: (02) 6374 1104
A registered nurse is on site at the registration tent for advice each day, and a comprehensive first-aid kit is available.
There are currently 12 defibrillators in Gulgong, and their locations will be listed in your program. If you do have an existing heart problem and wish to be preemptive regarding this, please visit the Gulgong Heartbeat project’s website.
If you require immediate medical attention, then Gulgong Hospital is the closest emergency facility:
Address: 34 Goolma Road, Gulgong NSW 2852
Get directions
Opening hours: 24-hour emergency
Referrals: Referrals may be required for some services. Contact the hospital for more information.
Telehealth: Virtual care (telehealth) is available at this service. Please call to book an appointment.
Contact details – Phone: (02) 6374 3400 Fax: (02) 6374 3480
Emergency 000
If you or someone with you is in immediate danger, call 000 (triple zero).
Get health advice
We all need to help keep hospital emergency departments for emergencies. Every emergency department prioritises people needing urgent care, and you may need to wait to be seen for non-urgent matters.
If you’re not experiencing an emergency but are feeling unwell or unsure whether you need to see a doctor, Healthdirect offers a handy symptom checker and approved health advice.
You can call the Healthdirect helpline at 1800 022 222 (24 hours) to speak with a registered nurse.
Infectious diseases
Infectious diseases could spread rapidly amongst festivalgoers. You would be advised to stay away if you are suffering from an infection.
Please don’t come to Clay Gulgong if you have suffered from gastroenteritis with diarrhoea or vomiting during the previous 48 hours. Viral gastroenteritis is highly infectious and spreads easily in crowded settings. Risks can be reduced by thorough handwashing after using the toilet and before handling food.
Staying safe and well
You can reduce the risk of injury and ill health by following this simple advice:
Alcohol: Drink in moderation. Hangover headaches usually respond to drinking plenty of water. .
Burns: Camping gas accidents are the most common cause of severe burns. Never change canisters in or near a tent, and ensure the canister is threaded correctly before lighting.
Crowds: Can be uncomfortable places for anyone with mental health or emotional issues. Make sure you take time to adjust to the large number of people you will be spending the week with and set aside time for yourself. Reach out to others if you’re struggling, and, if necessary, speak with a medical professional at the Health Centre or the registered nurse at the registration tent.
Drugs: Stay safe, don’t take drugs. If you do, and are unsure what you’ve taken, seek immediate advice.
Medicines and medication: Bring over-the-counter remedies for headaches, toothaches, minor cuts, burns, bruises, and sunburn. Ask your local pharmacist for advice. If you suffer from hay fever, remember to bring enough nasal spray, eye drops, or antihistamine tablets to last through the festival. Remember to bring any regular medications you might need. All that said, you can purchase these items at the local pharmacy, but you may find them cheaper at a larger city chemist.
Stomach bugs: Reduce your risk of picking up or spreading the germs that cause illness and diarrhoea by washing your hands before you eat and after you use the bathroom. If you cook, take care. Make sure food is cooked properly, especially meat/hamburgers. Wash your hands if you have been handling rubbish.
Upset or depressed: If you are experiencing emotional difficulties and want to talk to someone, the local Samaritans helpline is (02) 4960 7160
There is also a psychiatric team based at the Medical Centre or Gulgong Hospital to help with more serious mental health problems. Please reach out. There is ample local and professional support to help you navigate any difficulties you may experience.
Water: Drink plenty of it! In hot weather or when you are very active, you can dehydrate quickly. Safe drinking water is available from the taps at Red Hill.
Sun care: Complimentary sunscreen is available at the registration tent if you need a topping-up during the day.
SHOPPING in GULGONG
There are ample shops to stock up your supplies and keep you fed and watered.
Check this hyperlink Shops – Gulgong NSW
THE NEIGHBOURS
Please be aware of residents who must get up each morning to farm, work, study, go to school, get children ready for school, teach, start baking bread – the whole kit and caboodle, whilst you are making your way back to your accommodation in the early wee hours of another exciting day. Your attention to this would be lovely, and we’d all be so grateful.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANT HISTORY OF GULGONG
Prepare to be amazed as you read about the historic pathways you will be treading on for the week that is Clay Gulgong History – Gulgong NSW
WHY ARE GULGONG AND/OR MUDGEE POLICE AT CLAY GULGONG?
Despite the large number of people attending Clay Gulgong every two years, the event is relatively crime-free, and we work with the local police to ensure it’s safe for everyone.
A police presence is also essential to the issuance of the approval required to hold the festival.
What do the police do at the festival?
They adopt the same neighbourhood-style policing practiced throughout rural communities, as has been the case at past festivals.
This involves regular visible patrols of Red Hill and various sites in town by uniformed officers.
We encourage festivalgoers to approach officers on patrol. They will be happy to stop and have a chat, and we are delighted that our relationship with the police is so positive and mutually supportive.
During the festival, contact the police at any time. The police station is located at 61 Medley Street and can be contacted by phone at (02) 6371 9450.
Safety advice in extreme circumstances:
We need everyone to be familiar with the following advice ahead of this year’s festival.
• If you spot someone acting suspiciously, report it to a police officer or to a member of Team Gulgong immediately. Please don’t leave it to someone else.
• If you see something on social media that concerns you, report it.
• In an emergency, always call 000 and look around you for help from others – especially those with phones who can raise the alarm quickly.
• Don’t leave bags unattended or anywhere they could cause a security scare. And never agree to look after anyone else’s bags, no matter how genuine they seem.
• If there is an incident, listen to staff and any announcements. Festival organisers have emergency plans to help you keep safe.
• Remember, the chance of being caught in a terrorist incident is slight. But if it happens – Escape, Hide, Tell.
Personal property advice
If you are bringing a phone, tablet, or other electronic device to the festival, please protect it.
Anti-theft apps give us the best chance to find stolen electronics, and most are free to download and quick to install.
We advise people to record the make and model of their valuables. If it’s a phone, then note down the IMEI number and the account username and password of any tracking app.
You can also register your property (e.g., phone, tablet, camera).
Festivalgoers are reminded to be discreet with their valuables. Keep them out of sight and secure.
BEFORE WE EXPAND ON FURTHER AIMS, MISSIONS, SAFETY ADVICE, AND POLICIES, LET’S START WITH THIS ….
Clay Gulgong is the world’s longest ceramics festival (seven days) and has created a unique template for other festivals; it is unlike anywhere else.
It takes place in a beautiful location – the pioneering gold-rush town of Gulgong, in rural Australia, and is an area steeped in the history of clay production. Its symbolism and associated mythology make it feel like you are spending a week in a ceramics Arcadia. This vibrant cultural melting pot inspires and ignites something so meaningful and transformative that it has become legendary worldwide.
Of course, history aside, it is the people you will meet who will make the most difference, and they all share a common characteristic – they appreciate that Clay Gulgong offers them the opportunity to have the best week of their ceramics lives. What is wonderfully obvious is that they are each determined, in a myriad of ways, in their determination to make the most of every moment.
At Clay Gulgong, you will meet other potters from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, nationalities, lifestyles, and faiths, with different ways of making, and at all levels in their ceramics journey. Every festival produces personal enlightenments, awakenings, and epiphanies – often summed up as “the most wonderful experience I’ve ever had”. More often than not, these experiences are spontaneous, a moment that can converge in time and space for no other reason than Clay Gulgong creating its own, inexplicable magic.
We recommend avoiding arriving with too many preconceived ideas and a long list of plans. If there are one or two artists you are intent on spending time watching and learning from, then yield to that and go with it. Hurrying around, watching several different artists so you can tick them off in your notebook, is not the best way to enjoy the festival. However, be open to sitting and watching artists you do not know, as they may change how you view the world. Often, the best memories are created at the festival by new things that have startled you with their unknown brilliance.
Clay Gulgong is established on its founder’s inspirational intentions, and the relevance she brought to it endures.
The festival has always been about fostering dialogue between national and international ceramic artists. These conversations are a forum for debating all issues that impact our field, including social, environmental, and ethical issues.
It is a unique place that has repeatedly launched Australian artists onto the international stage, fostering friendships and mentoring opportunities organically during a week with no borders or hierarchies. There is no other festival like this in the world, and it continues to show off the beauty of rural Australia and the remarkable potters and ceramicists who create outstanding works across its six states and territories.
Clay Gulgong has always been committed to fostering community through respectful, direct, and meaningful exchange. This includes how dialogue occurs both during the festival and in public or (in recent years) online spaces where the festival, its participants, or its activities are referenced. No topics are, or ever have been, censored when exchanged within these parameters.
Open hostility, public targeting, harassment, or adversarial commentary—particularly when conducted online—does not contribute to community wellbeing. When discourse becomes performative, driven by the pursuit of individual notoriety or infamy rather than genuine engagement, it erodes trust, damages relationships, and weakens the social fabric on which independent cultural events such as Clay Gulgong rely.
Clay Gulgong recognises its responsibility to resist uncritical or credulous engagement with claims, allegations, or narratives circulated without evidence or context. The festival does not amplify or legitimise discourse that relies on speculation, misinformation, or the expectation that others should accept statements and claims without due scrutiny. There is another widely used platform for Australian potters and ceramists that does that, but we do not. Clay Gulgong invites those who agitate and those who uncritically amplify such agitation to pause for considered self-reflection before claiming the mantle of community advocacy.
While agitators or harassers may frame their behaviour as advocacy or an attempt to foster community, it has the opposite effect. It fragments community, discourages participation, and undermines the safety and generosity required for inclusive cultural exchange.
This conduct is fundamentally at odds with the values and purpose of Clay Gulgong. It stands in direct opposition to what the festival was established to do in 1989 and continues to pursue: creating respectful spaces for shared learning, open dialogue, and artist-led creative practice.
Clay Gulgong expects that all exchanges remain considered, constructive, and above a juvenile standard. Commentary that relies on mockery, provocation, bullying, ridicule, or deliberately inflammatory behaviour diminishes the quality of discourse and is inconsistent with the festival’s professional and community-minded standards.
As always, and in line with the NSW Government and the Department of Education, Clay Gulgong commits to its 66-page document, under which, following a lengthy induction before each festival, all parties sign off. Red Hill, of course, is owned and managed by the DET and has rigorous procedures and policies governing use by organisations such as Clay Gulgong.
The Clay Gulgong policy guidelines do not cover pubs and cafes, nor do they include personal accommodations where festivalgoers stay, except the Red Hill Dormitories. For our other venues – the Memorial Hall, the CWA Hall, and the Masonic Hall – we adopt their existing safety policies and community-use guidelines.
Once this is signed for 2026, we will post it on our website for interested parties. A copy was previously available for free at the registration desk during past festivals.
As an addendum, Clay Gulgong also shares our Guidelines and Policies on Discrimination and Harassment, which apply to Team Gulgong, volunteers, consultants, contractors, presenters, exhibitors, delegates/festivalgoers, and anyone who participates in any strand of our programs.
Clay Gulgong is committed to maintaining an environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity. Everyone has the right to be treated with a high standard of professionalism that promotes respect and equality and prohibits discriminatory practices and abusive behaviour, including harassment.
Therefore, Clay Gulgong expects that all relationships among everyone attending and/or involved with the festival are respectful, professional, and free of bias, prejudice, and harassment.
It is the policy of Clay Gulgong that no delegate/festivalgoer, volunteer, presenter or member of Team Gulgong will be discriminated against, given preference, or harassed due to their age; ancestry; caregiver status; citizenship; colour; atypical cognitive or physical abilities; family status; gender expression; gender identity; marital status; mental or physical impairment; protection order status; parental status; partnership status; predisposing genetic characteristic; pregnancy; race; record of arrest; record of conviction, except as it may relate to job duties; religion; sexual orientation; status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses; status with regard to public assistance; being accompanied by a companion animal due to disability.
It is an objective of Clay Gulgong to promote a respectful work and participation environment. Accordingly, Clay Gulgong generally prohibits communication or conduct that is offensive, degrading, coercive, or disruptive, or that has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s work performance, participation, or professional development.
Sexual Harassment and other objectionable behaviour policies and guidelines at Clay Gulgong
Sexual harassment can happen between anyone, no matter their sex or gender. It can occur from a man to a woman, a woman to a man, between people of the same sex, or between people of any gender.
It may be a single incident or a repeated pattern of behaviour. Even one instance of harassment is taken seriously and will be addressed.
Sexual relationships that are fully welcomed by both individuals are not necessarily prohibited by this policy. However, everyone attending Clay Gulgong must be aware of the risks (a) that welcomeness by one party may later be withdrawn and (b) that one person’s perception of the other’s interest may not be accurate. These risks are particularly high when there is an imbalance of power and influence, or when alcohol is involved.
The existence of a previous sexual relationship between two people does not preclude harassment or offensive conduct in violation of this policy later.
Intimate or romantic relationships between a master (or person of influence) and delegates are discouraged by Clay Gulgong. If such a relationship develops and is fully consensual and welcomed by both parties, care must be taken to protect emotional well-being at the end of the festival.
If discriminatory or harassing conduct involved unwanted physical touching, coerced physical confinement, or coerced sex acts, the conduct may also constitute a crime. In such an instance, you are encouraged to contact the local police, and Clay Gulgong will provide all necessary support throughout the process.
If you do witness or experience discriminatory, harassing, or other offensive behaviour, you have the right (but are not required) to demand that the other person stop the offending conduct immediately. Regardless of whether you ask the other person to stop the offending conduct, you must report the matter to an appropriate member of Team Gulgong. If possible, you should report the matter directly to the Artistic Director of Clay Gulgong. If reporting the behaviour is not feasible because you feel it would not be effective, or if you believe there is a conflict of interest in the reporting structure of Clay Gulgong, please use whatever avenues are available to you, including speaking with a senior member of the ceramics community to advocate on your behalf. *Please note that conflict of interest concerns do not negate the serious responsibility that Clay Gulgong has regarding offensive behaviour. We understand that, in a close-knit community, you may have doubts about objectivity, but we assure you that you will be heard and that appropriate action will be taken.
Reports of suspected violations of this policy may be made verbally or in writing.
It is not required to use the Clay Gulgong incident form to report a problem, but one is available at the registration desk or as a loose-leaf document in your program.
Members of Team Gulgong and volunteer supervisors must report any complaint they receive, or any violation of the policies above that they observe or become aware of, to the Artistic Director of Clay Gulgong.
Clay Gulgong will investigate all reported violations of the policies expressed in this section. The identities of persons participating in the investigation and the information they provide will never be shared with individuals who do not have a legal or legitimate operational need to know.
Acknowledgement of Country and Cultural Safety at Clay Gulgong
Clay Gulgong acknowledges the Wiradjuri people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the festival takes place. We pay respect to Elders past and present and recognise their continuing connection to land, culture, and community.
The festival is committed to cultural safety. Racism, cultural disrespect, or the misuse of Indigenous cultural knowledge or imagery will not be tolerated. We encourage respectful learning, listening, and engagement, as well as respect for the Wiradjuri land on which we are privileged to meet. Clay Gulgong remains grateful for the continued support of our local community elders.
If you are keen to learn more about the Wiradjuri language, there is a free app available to download that is an excellent starting point. Uncle Stan Grant and his wife, Auntie Flo Grant, are the strength behind this initiative, and we cannot recommend it highly enough. Dr Stan Grant, Elizabeth Grant, and Midnight Brydon provide the spoken language content.
Clay, in Wiradjuri, is ‘munang’.
General Principles that underpin Clay Gulgong
Clay Gulgong is committed to providing an environment that supports artistic exchange, respectful dialogue, and public participation. Conduct or communication that is offensive, degrading, coercive, intimidating, or significantly disruptive is not acceptable.
The festival supports the free exchange of ideas and critical discussion. Critical examination of beliefs or artistic positions does not, in itself, constitute harassment. These guidelines exist to protect participation—not to limit debate.
Harassment or discrimination based on any protected attribute—including but not limited to age, disability, gender identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, colour, religion, nationality, or family status—will not be tolerated.
Examples of conduct that may breach these guidelines include, but are not limited to:
• Threatening, intimidating, or verbally abusing others – including yelling at organisers and volunteers.
• Physical or verbal behaviour that significantly disrupts events or activities
• Repeatedly interrupting speakers, facilitators, presenters, or participants
• Harassment, stalking (physical or virtual/online), or intimidation
• Unwelcome sexual attention, sexualised language, or innuendo.
• ‘Humour’ that involves race/ethnicity, sex, or other classifications.
• Derogatory comments targeting an individual or group (physical or virtual/online).
• Retaliation (even implied) against a person who raises concerns or cooperates in an investigation into a complaint.
Use of social media and Print Media – content objectives:
▪ Keep communication relevant to Clay Gulgong’s mission and its artistic and educational focus.
▪ Be transparent and authentic about your identity, affiliations, and intent
▪ Observe legal requirements, including intellectual property rights and confidentiality, and give credit to content creators.
▪ Use and disclose only information that you are authorised to have, use, or disclose
▪ Be personally responsible for the information you post.
Prohibited Content
▪ Posting sensitive, private, or potentially embarrassing information about anyone in a way that could lead to identifying the person
▪ Posting any content that could reasonably be perceived to be—or that the subject of the post might perceive to be—threatening or harassing
▪ Impersonation of another person, whether actual or fictional
▪ Posting content, or a link to any source, that is not consistent with Clay Gulgong’s mission and its artistic and educational focus.
▪ Posting content that is unlawful or promotes unlawful activity
Protection and Procedures
Anyone who is the target of, or a witness to, hostile or harassing conduct during events should contact the Artistic Director of Clay Gulgong. If safe to do so, targets and witnesses may also robustly ask offenders to stop the offensive conduct or communication.
Persons who are the targets of, or witnesses to, hostile or harassing conduct via online media should contact the Artistic Director of Clay Gulgong. If safe to do so, targets and witnesses may also robustly ask offenders to stop the offensive conduct or communication.
No person shall be retaliated against for complaining in good faith about a violation of these policies or for cooperating with an investigation into a complaint.
Reports of hostile or harassing conduct will be promptly addressed.
Please note the following:
The ability to block an account is an essential exercise of digital agency and the right to privacy. A social media account is not a public forum for unrestricted vitriol, and you are under no obligation to provide a platform for behaviour that violates basic standards of decency and borders on adult cyber abuse.
Clay Gulgong supports and advocates for digital citizenship and accountability, which requires individuals to be responsible for the quality and impact of their communication. When interaction degrades into vile and harassing commentary, the ethical response is to withdraw the privilege of engagement with those who refuse to adhere to shared norms of respect.
Some subscribe to the fallacy that blocking creates an ‘echo chamber’; however, blocking is a necessary defence against those who trade in dehumanising rhetoric and runs counter to Clay Gulgong‘s aims. You are not required to sacrifice your psychological safety for the sake of ‘hearing out’ unmitigated abuse.
You are the primary moderator of your digital space, and you have every right to exercise your role in ‘conversational gatekeeping’ to ensure that your digital environment remains a space for rational discourse rather than an arena for the irrational raging of one person, or a digital mob.
Online behaviour has real-world consequences. Digital communications are subject to Australian law, and individuals are legally responsible for what they publish, share, or repeatedly communicate online.
Clay Gulgong takes seriously the fact that harassing, menacing, coercive, or offensive communications are criminal offences under Commonwealth law. These offences apply to communications sent by post or via a carriage service, including phone calls, email, social media, messaging platforms, and other online applications.
Under section 474.17 of the Criminal Code (Cth), it is an offence to use a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence. The maximum penalty is up to three years’ imprisonment, and in some circumstances may be higher.
NSW Police advise that online harassment and bullying should be reported. Perpetrators often mistakenly believe that behaviour on social media places them beyond the reach of the law; it does not. While Australia does not have a single law titled “cyber-bullying”, existing Commonwealth and state legislation is routinely used to investigate, charge, and prosecute offenders.
Clay Gulgong will support any individual who experiences harassment, intimidation, coercion, or threats arising from participation in, or association with, the Festival and who chooses to pursue a formal complaint with the relevant authorities.
While there is no single profile of an online abuser, research consistently identifies several common factors that often contribute to harassing behaviour:
Aggression, whether impulsive or premeditated
Low empathy, reducing concern for the harm caused to others
A desire for power or control, often compensating for personal insecurity
Persistent negativity, which strongly correlates with trolling behaviour
Group dynamics and mob behaviour, where responsibility is diffused, and conduct escalates
Perceived grievance or revenge, where individuals feel justified in causing harm
Understanding these patterns does not excuse abusive behaviour, but it can help contextualise it and reinforce why Clay Gulgong prioritises respectful, direct, and accountable engagement over hostility, intimidation, or performative outrage.
If others find your ‘block’ button offensive, perhaps they would do well to have found their own vitriol more so.
Agitators thrive on the attention that social media can provide. When faced with direct dialogue, they often come across as underwhelming, implausible, uninformed, and not particularly intelligent—far from the considered and insightful exchanges that Clay Gulgong was founded to foster.
Health and Safety at Clay Gulgong
Clay Gulgong is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all artists, visitors, staff, and volunteers, in line with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW). Work Health and Safety Act 2011 No 10 – NSW Legislation
We actively (and consistently) seek professional advice and retain consultancy partners to develop practices that minimise risk, prevent injury, and ensure well-being across all festival activities. This is imperative to maintain our excellent insurance policies that cover activities across all seven days of the event, providing peace of mind for everyone.
Our volunteers play a vital role in the festival’s success, and their safety is a top priority alongside that of Team Gulgong, artists, and visitors. All volunteers receive information, training, and support to perform their roles safely and effectively. We also have a supervisor of volunteers who has held this position at several previous festivals.
Clay Gulgong implements a range of health and safety measures, including:
• Assessment and management of risks in all spaces, studios, workshops, and public areas
• Clear signage and instructions for safe movement, equipment use, and emergency procedures
• First aid facilities and trained personnel available during festival hours
• Guidance for safe handling of materials, tools, and kilns
• Procedures for reporting hazards, incidents, or unsafe behaviour.
Clay Gulgong encourages all participants, including visitors and volunteers, to act responsibly, follow safety instructions, and promptly report hazards. Everyone has a role in maintaining a safe and enjoyable environment.
By attending or volunteering at Clay Gulgong, participants agree to comply with health and safety instructions and to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others.
Clay Gulgong is committed to continual improvement in health and safety practices, ensuring that the festival remains a safe, welcoming, and professional environment for the entire community.
Clay Gulgong is not a child-focused event and is not open to children. As a result, Working With Children (WWC) checks are not required for festival staff, artists, or volunteers.
Should this position change in the future, Clay Gulgong will review and update its policies to ensure compliance with all relevant NSW child safety requirements.
AN END NOTE
The ceramics festivals in Gulgong began in 1989, long before people became concerned about climate change. In 2026, we recognise that we must do all we can to protect the environment and reduce our impact.
Clay Gulgong continues to explore new ideas for reducing the toll on the land we meet. In recent years, we have developed an increasingly ecologically thoughtful approach to each event. In summary, we want everyone to ‘Love Clay Gulgong – but leave no trace’. We want the festival to be as green as it possibly can be, and some of the practical things we can all do include:
1. Make or purchase your own coffee/tea mug for takeaway services. We are fortunate that the Ceramics Study Group NSW is providing each delegate with a cup, which you will collect upon registration. However, if you need a cup that better suits your needs, please use a ceramic one. Do not purchase takeaway cups.
2. Seriously think about car sharing to the festival.
3. Seriously think about alternative modes of transport. If enough people are interested, we will organise a coach from Sydney and back again, which will be cost-effective to you, and kinder to the planet.
4. Waste reduction. Waste reduction, Waste reduction.
5. Take it with you; leave nothing behind.
We need to work hard on our message because so much has changed since 1989. Clay Gulgong is a wonderful celebration of purposeful lives, but we must not lose sight of our commitment to achieve the best possible balance of nature and resources.
We will use the 2026 festival to amplify the potential of easy personal choices to help create a better tomorrow – to prove the positive changes that simple acts deliver.
Small actions taken by one person, when echoed by others, have an exponentially powerful effect that is often strong enough to drive massive change.
All it takes is one step in the right direction.
We also wish to harness the possibilities of other simple acts, and these are simple acts of kindness. Research shows that 70% of adults in Australia report improved mental health when kindness is shown to them and when they show kindness to others.
We firmly believe in the power of the individual to ignite hope, spark joy, and trigger an avalanche of positive action.
Enjoy your week at Clay Gulgong – it will be unlike any seven days you have ever experienced.