ISCAEE

A Brief History of ISCAEE

The International Ceramic Symposium and Art Education Exchange Program, more commonly referred to as ‘ISCAEE’, was founded between 1996 and 1997 by Professor Fumio Shimada, of Tokyo University of the Fine Arts, Japan; Professor Ning Zheng of Tsinghua University, China; Professor Zehra Cobanli of Andalou University, Turkey; and Professor Rick Mahaffey of Tacoma Community College, United States of America. ISCAEE was founded on the desire to create a more international ceramic community, where people can come together to share and learn about different ceramic cultures, techniques and influences.

Since 1999, every two years*, the ISCAEE Conference is held in a different host country, that invites students, professors and artists to assemble and exchange their passion for ceramics. Conferences generally last from ten days to two weeks, and consist of three components: the academic, lectures on research and history and ceramic exhibitions; the practical, workshops and demonstrations; and the cultural, the hosting university will organize excursions to important museums, factories and art studios in order to give participants and deeper understanding of the local ceramic culture. What makes the ISCAEE Conference unique is its firm basis in education and emphasis on the value of student input. Students are given the opportunity and encouraged to exhibit, demonstrate and lecture alongside academics and eminent practitioners in the field of international ceramics.

Since it’s inception, ISCAEE has grown immensely and continues to grow. In addition to the four founding universities, ISCAEE now includes universities from England, Korea, Mexico, Germany, Australia and Kenya as members of its organization.

Member universities include, but are not limited to Tokyo University of the Fine Arts, Tokyo, Japan; Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Anadolu University Faculty of Fine Arts, Anatolya, Turkey; Tacoma Community College, Seattle, USA; University College for the Creative Arts, Farhnam, England; Seoul National University Art College, Seoul, South Korea; Kangnam University, Korea; Munster Kunst Academy, Germany; Royal Melbourne Institute University, Australia; University of Westminster, England.

ISCAEE is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan at Tokyo University of the Fine Arts, under the direction of Professor Fumio Shimada.

*Originally held every year, starting in 2009, it began hosting a conference once every two years.