Victoria ceramic artist, Camosun College alumna and substitute instructor Erin Berry has received the 2026 Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics, a prestigious national honour recognizing excellence among emerging ceramic artists in Canada.
2026 Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics and Camosun alumna recipient Erin Berry.
Presented by the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, the award includes a $10,000 prize to support Erin's artistic development at a pivotal stage in her career. It is the only national award dedicated specifically to emerging ceramic artists in Canada.
The award was juried by Melanie Egan, Julie Hall and Eekta Trienekens, who praised Erin's ambitious approach to material and installation-based practice. Erin's entry was titled Hyperprocess.
Erin is a graduate of the Visual Arts diploma program at Camosun College and is an occasional substitute ceramics instructor.
"It's an amazing honour to receive this recognition," says Erin. "My time at Camosun helped shape the foundation of my practice, and it means a lot to be able to continue developing my work as part of Victoria's arts community, while inspiring future generations of artists."
Nancy Yakimoski, Department Chair and Instructor in Visual Arts, says that Erin's exceptional level of achievement reflects her commitment to her artistic practice and ongoing bold exploration of ceramics.
"Erin's work demonstrates a thoughtful and distinctive artistic voice, and we're thrilled to see her recognized on a national stage," says Yakimoski. "We look forward to watching her make significant contributions to ceramics in Canada and beyond."
Erin's work will be featured this summer in the Canadian Clay & Glass annual Emergence exhibition in Ontario, opening May 28, 2026.
Learn more about the Visual Arts diploma program at Camosun. This comprehensive, hands-on Visual Arts program prepares students for a career in graphic design, pottery, sculpture, filmmaking and animation, photography, drawing and painting, printmaking and more.
