Günaydın Seramik! Celebrating Kütahya’s Ceramic Heritage

In May 2023, Kütahya hosted Günaydın Seramik, its local edition of the international Buongiorno Ceramica! festival organized by AiCC (Italian Association of Ceramic Cities). The event opened workshops, kilns, and heritage sites to the public, showcasing the city’s centuries-old ceramic and tile tradition.

Held in the historic UNESCO mansion on Germiyan Street, participants learned pottery wheel techniques firsthand from master wheel-thrower Mehmet Yıldırım and classical çini making under master artisans like Emine Arabacı. The event aimed to engage the community, promote cultural heritage, and connect Kütahya to AiCC’s international network of ceramic cities.

By joining the AiCC festival, Kütahya not only celebrated its local creative practices but also positioned itself within a global network, continuing its striving mission to open opportunities for cultural exchange, tourism, and collaboration. 

What made Günaydın Seramik stand out was participation. Rather than being a passive exhibition, it turned people into creators: they touched the clay, tried the wheel, decorated their own tiles. For many, it was a chance to feel the tactile memory of Kütahya’s heritage, to be part of a tradition that continues into the present.