K-12 Competition
Clay Gulgong K-12 2026
National K-12 Showcase and Competition
In 2026, we are excited that ceramic works from Australian students from K-12 will be showcased in two ways:
Digital K-12 Showcase
Teachers can submit up to five examples of K-12 work (images) to be included in a digital showcase of current ceramic works across all schools in Australia. The Clay Gulgong K-12 team will assemble this showcase which will be shown throughout the festival week at key events. At the conclusion of the festival, this comprehensive resource will be made available on the Mansfield Ceramics website, as it was in 2022 and 2024.
Submitting works for the Digital Showcase
- Schools can submit up to five slides to the Digital Showcase.
- Make a copy of the Google slides sample presentation and rename the slide document with your school’s name.
- Please do not use One Note as there were significant access and formatting issues in 2024.
- Student names in the slide presentation should only be first names and an initial for the surname
- Please use clear, well edited images of a high quality resolution.
- Where possible photograph works against a plain background, preferably white or a plain light colour.
- Do not put more than three to four images on one slide.
- When the set of school slides are complete, email or share the slides with Mansfield Ceramics (K-12@claygulgong.com)
- If you are submitting in Google slides make sure that you make Mansfield Ceramics (K-12@claygulgong.com) an editor and that you make General Access –’ anyone with link’.
- If you are not able to use Google slides, please email your images as jpegs (2mb) and make sure that the file name for photos is as follows:
Download the SAMPLE PRESENTATION -> here
Our preferred format is Google Slides.
firstname+intial_yearlevel_school. E.g. jessicaJ_year10_gulgongHS
Entries for the K-12 Digital Showcase must be submitted by Friday 13th March, 2026 has been extended to Friday 20th March, 2026
National K-12 competition
We are delighted to continue the National K-12 competition in 2026.
Finalists will be selected from works submitted as images for the Digital Showcase so teachers must submit slides or images to be eligible. Schools and students will be asked to make the work available for the exhibition at Clay Gulgong. Schools will be advised if their students are finalists in March 2026 and they will be advised about the processes for delivery of works to Gulgong.
Individual student works will be judged in the following year group categories. Expert judges will award the prizes from the exhibited works. There will be a winner selected in each category and prizes are generously donated by our sponsors. At the judges discretion, there will be one or more Highly Commended work
- Foundation – Stage 2
- Stage 3
- Stage 4
- Stage 5
- Stage 6
Terms and Conditions for K-12 Competition
- Student works must have been produced in the last two years (since Clay Gulgong 2024).
- Works can be produced using any ceramic process – thrown, cast, handbuilt etc and can be functional or sculptural
- Works to be exhibited must be fired and be well constructed without fragile parts
- Works to be exhibited must be made without the need for supports or hanging devices i.e. to be displayed on flat surfaces or on plinths
- As exhibition space is limited, individual works with many multiple pieces submitted for the competition may not be considered
- Works need to be transported to Gulgong for the exhibition and collected at the conclusion of the festival. Details for packing and delivery in person or by mail will be sent to finalists in March.
- Group or class works can only be presented in the National K-12 Showcase
- Judges decisions are final
- Works will need to be delivered by Friday 10th April if mailed or Sunday 12th April if in person. If your student is a selected finalist, there will be further details provided.
- They will need to be collected at the conclusion of the festival from the exhibition site no later than Thursday 16th April. Works sent by mail will be packaged to send at the conclusion of the festival.
We look forward to your submissions and are excited to continue this wonderful resource and celebration of student work from classrooms across Australia.
Karen King and Felicity Wood are the co-ordinators of the K-12 Exhibition and the Teacher Workshop Days. They are colleagues, teaching Visual Arts at Caroline Chisholm College, Glenmore Park.
Karen was Leader of Learning, Creative Arts at Caroline Chisholm College, Glenmore Park for the past 25 years and is now working as an education consultant.
Karen has been involved in local, state and national Visual Arts Education, working on syllabus development, HSC examinations and marking. She continues to work with curriculum authorities, regional groups on professional development and advocacy for Visual Arts as well as a consultant to schools on HSC programs and works.
Felicity is an experienced Visual Arts teacher who established the Visual Arts department at Caroline Chisholm College and instigated the programs for ceramics in the college’s Visual Arts curriculum.
Felicity has led colleagues in Parramatta Diocese in her work with the Visual Arts Network organising exhibitions of student work and other network events.
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