Stoke-on-Trent and Jingdezhen reaffirm historic partnership in Centenary year

Two world-famous ceramic cities have reaffirmed their cultural and academic ties with a renewed agreement to work in partnership.

Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramic heritage spans over 300 years, growing from small-scale workshops in the mid-17th century into an industrial powerhouse. The area’s natural resources of clay and coal, alongside the innovations of master potters like Spode and Wedgwood, established the city as the World Capital of Ceramics.

The Chinese city of Jingdezhen has a more than 1,700-year ceramics tradition and is known as China’s porcelain capital. It is the origin of the word ‘China’ to describe fine porcelain wares – the very ceramics that helped position Stoke-on-Trent at the centre of the industrial revolution and the world’s ceramics trade.

A cultural concordat between the two cities and their universities – University of Staffordshire and Jingdezhen Ceramic University – will be signed on Saturday 6 September to mark the opening of an exhibition on the enduring legacy of the Willow Pattern. Curated by Professor Neil Brownsword of University of Staffordshire and Professor Tiejun Hou of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, the exhibition will run at Spode Museum until 29 March 2026.

The signing of the concordat builds on the established friendship between the two cities. It follows Stoke-on-Trent’s recent award of World Craft City status and comes as the city celebrates its heritage and future in its Centenary year. The agreement will be signed by Professor Martin Jones, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of University of Staffordshire and Lord Mayor, Councillor Steve Watkins from Stoke-on-Trent and President Pinchang Lyu of Jingdezhen Ceramic University.

Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, said: “It’s incredibly special to reaffirm this partnership between our cities and universities in Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year. Stoke-on-Trent and Jingdezhen share an incredible history and a love of ceramics that connects us across the world.

“This is more than a ceremonial gesture - it’s about celebrating everything we’ve achieved and looking ahead to what we can do together. Our two cities are proud of their heritage but also excited about the future, and this partnership will help keep that spirit of creativity and exchange alive for years to come.”

Neil Brownsword, Professor of Ceramics at University of Staffordshire, said: “This concordat marks the beginning of a renewed partnership between Jingdezhen and Stoke-on-Trent - two historic centres bound by the material culture of ceramic production. Through our shared heritage we will commit to fostering cultural exchange, academic collaboration, and mutual respect through the art of ceramics.”