The Leach Pottery is in the running for the Art Fund Prize

The newly restored and re-opened Leach Pottery in St Ives is one of eleven museums to make the long list for this year's prestigeous £100,000 Art Fund Prize. Give it your support by going to the Art Fund website and placing your vote.

The Leach Pottery, founded in 1920 by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, forged the shape of studio pottery production for decades and set the standards for the sector. Scores of potters, artists, students and apprentices trained here, attracted from all across the world and creating an unusual mix of the very local and the completely global.

By 2005 the pottery had fallen into a very poor state of repair and was facing closure and redevelopment. Under the banner of the Leach Restoration Project, a rescue bid was launched, the site was purchased by the local authority and a £1.7 million re-building project commenced.

You can cast your vote for the museum on the Art Fund website and enter itsexclusive competition to WIN a limited edition print by artist and Art Fund Prize judge Jonathan Yeo.  The winner will be announced on 30th June 2010.