North Carolina's largest pottery sale is set to mark a milestone Saturday as the Potters Market at the Mint celebrates its 20th year on the front lawn of Mint Museum Randolph, with more than 55 top potters from across the state expected, along with live music, a beer garden, and pottery demonstrations for crowds paying $25 to get in.
The event, which ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is chaired by Betsy Wilder, according to Queen City News. Michele Huggins, the Mint Museum's associate director of marketing and communications, also spoke to the outlet about the sale, which the museum bills as its signature annual ceramics fundraiser. That $25 general admission covered more than the lawn tent sale, too — it also granted full entry into the museum's indoor art galleries, according to WDAV 89.9, which noted the day also included a beer garden and live bluegrass music.
This year's market has extra significance beyond its location in Charlotte's Eastover neighborhood. The 20th annual event is participating in Handwork 2026, a year-long national semiquincentennial initiative organized by Craft in America to celebrate craft traditions across the country, according to the Mint Museum. Museum President and CEO Dr. Todd Herman said in an August statement that the anniversary offers a chance to honor North Carolina's ceramic legacy while introducing the state's traditions to broader national audiences, per the museum.
A Star Juror and New Cash Prizes
Internationally acclaimed Pueblo ceramic artist Virgil Ortiz is scheduled to serve as awards juror at the Friday, Sept. 25, preview party and is scheduled to give a free public lecture Sunday. For the 20th anniversary, organizers also introduced enhanced cash awards for participating artists: a $3,000 Mellanay Delhom Award, a $2,000 Daisy Wade Bridges Award, a $1,000 Peggy and Bob Culbertson Best New Exhibitor Award, and a $500 People's Choice Award, according to ZAPP. The Mellanay Delhom Award winner also receives automatic entry into next year's market, per the same listing.
The market's roots stretch back two decades. It was created in 2005, according to the museum. The Mint Museum acquired collector M. Mellanay Delhom's extensive ceramics collection in 1965, according to the museum. The event is a juried show.
Traditional Craft Meets 3D Printing
Among the 55 juried artists displaying functional and conceptual ceramic works was UNC Charlotte art professor Thomas Schmidt, who uses a 3D clay printer to produce ceramic tiles for art commissions, as reported by The Charlotte Ledger. His work illustrates how local artists are pushing traditional clay methods in new technical directions even as the market celebrates its founding traditions.
Educational programming will extend the celebration beyond the market itself. A free public Potters Market Symposium is scheduled for Sunday, featuring a keynote lecture on North Carolina ceramics history from scholar Mark Hewitt, followed by a panel discussion with ceramic artists Cynthia Bringle, Travis Owens, and Ibrahim Said, according to the Decorative Arts Trust.
A Historic Setting in Eastover
The market's backdrop carries its own history. Mint Museum Randolph, in Charlotte's Eastover neighborhood, is the market's setting.
The market aims to raise funds for the Mint Museum. Tickets were offered through the market's website, Queen City News reported, making the 20th anniversary both a milestone celebration and a fundraiser for the Mint Museum.
