A school open to Europe and the world

Workshop in Kyoto, Japan

A study trip that allows students from Limoges to explore other ways of life in Kyoto. The experience of being abroad fosters an attitude of exploration and discovery. Participants bring back a collection of samples related to traditional and industrial skills, each sample associated with a specific object. In collaboration with students from Seika, they create these samples on-site, allowing them to immerse themselves in production sites and meet Japanese artisans. This experiential process highlights the complexity of object production methods in contemporary society, particularly in Japan.

In 2025, eight design students went to Kyoto Seika University. One of them, Anne Laure Maupiler, tells us about the projects they worked on, their visits to museums and temples, their daily life, the cultural differences , and more. In 2026, the Ensad Limoges will host the Japanese students.

Studio in Jingdezhen, China

The École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) has a shared studio within the Jingdezhen Ceramic University (JCU) as part of its international residency program. Through this partnership, four of our students develop ceramic projects each year, while the school also hosts four students. In 2024, four Chinese students spent a semester in Limoges, and in 2025, four ENSAD students went to Jingdezhen for a semester.

• Alizée Duqueroix, Anaïde Fontaine and Marie Tarbouriech tell their stories the context in which they were able to work, life on campus, the encounters, the visits they were able to make, but also their escape to Shanghai and the support they were able to have, which contributed to enriching their stay and their learning.

Artistic residencies

From September to mid-November 2025, Gabriel Rétif, an artist, designer, and scenographer who graduated from ENSAD Limoges, was an artist-in-residence at the Taoxichuan Art Center in Jingdezhen, China. Here, he presents his artistic world, his discoveries, visits, the workshop and materials he used, his work with constraints and adaptations, the service providers he contacted, as well as the techniques and firing methods used to preserve the colors.

Thanks to the "Coup de pouce" program at Ensad Limoges, Niels Tingaud, a graduate of Ensad Limoges, undertook a residency in Olinda, Brazil, from November to December 2025. This experience allowed him to immerse himself in a vibrant culture and enrich his artistic repertoire. Here is Niels Tingaud's account of his experience.

As part of the "Coup de pouce" program at Ensad Limoges, from November to December 2025, Fouzia Khaia, a designer graduating in 2025, was hosted in Olinda, Brazil. She explored local artisanal techniques and drew inspiration from traditional motifs. Through her interactions with artisans possessing unique expertise, Fouzia developed an innovative project merging tradition and modernity, reflecting the impact of this experience on her work. Here is Fouzia Khaia's account of her experience.

As part of the France-Brazil 2025 Season, from April 28 to June 7, the Ensad Limoges hosted two Brazilian artists in residence: Aurora Caballero and Rebeca Souza who, on this occasion, gave a lecture to present their work (to see or see again).
This cross-residency allowed Auréline Caltagirone, an artist and graduate of Ensad Limoges, to be received in Arapuca in the state of Paraíba in Brazil from October 28 to December 5, 2025.
In the summer of 2026, Lohan Blois, a designer and graduate of Ensad, will be in residence in Arapuca, and Ensad will host a Brazilian resident from September 19 to October 31.

Namika Nakai was hosted at the school as part of a partnership with the cities of Limoges and Kanazawa, both UNESCO Creative Cities. Originally from Sapporo, she is a graduate of several institutions, including Hokkaido University of Education and the Tajimi City Ceramic Design Laboratory. She was an artist-in-residence at the ceramics studio in March 2025.

SUDOE program in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Interreg Sudoe is a European Union funding program to support regional development and cohesion in the regions of Southwest Europe. The École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) in Limoges is partnering with this program for the preservation of ceramic cultural heritage, knowledge transfer, and resource sharing.

Ensad Limoges is mandated in particular for the creation of a virtual library, a resource platform related to ceramic activity: CERAMIC+ which will be accessible to the general public on January 1, 2027.

This platform is envisaged as a collaborative site as part of a transnational cooperation which combines Spain, Portugal, New Aquitaine and Occitania ( Centro Tecnológico da Cerâmica e do Vidro – CTCV ; Instituto Tecnología Cerámica ITC UJI ; EASD Castelló – Escola d’Art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló ; Museu Nacional do Azulejo ; Ayuntamiento Onda ; European ceramics center ; CEARTE ; Aldeias do Xisto museum ;

This website will offer access reserved for educational institutions, technology centers, companies in the sector and artisans for content creation.
This interactive database will display a virtual library of traditional ceramic products and traditional production techniques with written and visual information on methodologies; tools for innovation and technological development; innovative solutions focused on the green and digital transition; tutorials and will enable the creation of networks for a revitalization of the artistic and craft ceramics sector.

The owner of the CERAMIC+ website is SUDOE

Partner institutions

• Canada, Chicoutimi, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (Uqac)
• China, Jingdezhen Ceramic University (JCU)
• Japan, Kyoto Seika University
• Brazil, Arapuca Arte Cultura, State Secretariat for Culture of La Paraíba, French Consulate in Brazil
• Spain, Castelló de la Plana, Escola d'Art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló Barcelona, Faculty of Fine Arts
• Great Britain, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire University, Faculty of Arts, Media and Design
• Hungary, Pécs, University of Pécs (PTE), Faculty of Music and Visual Arts (Pécsi Tudományegyetem)
• Netherlands, Avan's Hogeschool AKV, St. Joost Breda and s'Hertogenboch
• Switzerland, Geneva, Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD)