With more than 90 years of history, the Pottery and Ceramics Exhibition of La Rambla opens its doors during the month of August, traditionally coinciding with the town's main festivities in honour of San Lorenzo, Patron Saint of La Rambla. Its 92 editions make it the oldest monographic pottery and ceramics exhibition in Spain.
In its beginnings, this exhibition was set up solely as a competition, where potters tested their skill and ability in order to win a prize.
The first changes took place during the 1980s, when the pottery sector began to change, reflected in the traditional pottery exhibition.
One of the main changes was in the competitions. From the beginning, only one category was allowed, the one known locally as "White or Bisque", but this was to change. Two more categories were to be added to this one, as a result of the transformation that took place in the sector: Traditional Ceramics and Design and New Forms in Ceramics.
The Exhibition was not going to lose its pace and in this same decade it underwent an important transformation, with the support of the recently created "Asociación de Artesanos +Alfareros" (Association of Craftsmen + Potters). It became a modern exhibition with a clear promotional objective. It was made up of four sections: the competition area, where there are 3 categories that we have already mentioned, where the most creative and artistic facet of the trade is shown, the area of stands of ceramic manufacturers, where the daily work is shown and the area of stands of manufacturers of machinery for ceramics and raw materials, to facilitate contact between suppliers and craftsmen, and the retail department.
In the eighties, as we said, the Exhibition was modernised to keep pace with the times: it incorporated hostesses to attend to the public, telematic elements, computers, banking terminals, air conditioning and public address systems, etc., it was advertised on TV, radio, written press, Internet, a promotional magazine of the event was published, posters, leaflets... The Exhibition underwent a profound process of transformation and modernisation.
The exhibition is currently facing new challenges. The organisational model and the dates must be adapted to the times. The name of the exhibition has been strengthened with a name with more character and entity: "ENBARRO, Feria de Alfarería y Cerámica de La Rambla" and has changed its date, thus being held independently. The location has also undergone changes, where, in addition to the exhibition, different activities are held so that visitors can interact. Special emphasis is being placed on improving the competitions with three specific measures: an increase in the financial endowment, international openness to participation and a notable increase in promotion at all levels.
The aim is clear: to consecrate these competitions as one of the most important in the field of pottery and ceramics at national and international level, and to make this exhibition a cultural and artistic phenomenon, an obligatory point of reference in the world of ceramics.