Membership and Open Studio access

Do you need studio space to create your own work and develop your professional pottery practice?

We want to make ceramics accessible for all and support people as they progress with their work. Setting up a private studio is an expensive and logistically challenging prospect so we are offering our studio to makers who would like more time accessing our pottery equipment, materials & tools so they are able to make with clay at their convenience.

We are offering

  • Use of all studio facilities (except kilns), tools and equipment

  • Shared shelf space to store your ongoing work

  • Use of the in house clay, slips and glazes

  • Aftercare of your work post making, e.g. wrapping up thrown pots ready for turning, loading & firing

  • Technical support

  • Additional Workshops: Whilst a member if you book an additional course with us you are entitled to a 10% discount on these. If you book something please contact us so we can apply the discount for you!

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF OPEN STUDIO ACCESS

During Open Access times you can use the studio in two ways

Pay As You Go

For those participants who use the studio as a drop in facility, the cost of use is £12.50 per hour. If you wish to use the studio in this way there will be no minimum hourly charge; i.e you pay for the hours you're with us only, this can be as little as 1 hour - with no membership commitment.

If you wish to do this it works on a first come first served basis so please get in touch and let us know when you want to come so we can make sure there is space for you.

Quarterly Membership

For those participants who wish to use the studio on a regular basis you can opt for Studio Open Access Membership. For this there is a minimum commitment of 10 hours per month for 3 months consecutively. The monthly fee is £85 for 10 hours. In the event that you spend more than 10 hours in the studio in a single month, any additional hours will be totted up and charged at the same rate (£8.50 per hour).

PLEASE NOTE

We ask that you pay your membership monthly by standing order at the beginning of each month using your name as a reference.

If you wish to cancel your membership we require 1 month advance notice prior to cancellation.

What You Get →

Any time in the studio will be recorded using our sign in/sign out system.

You’ll have access to the following: aprons, work areas, basic tools, potters wheels, a range of clays (which you can purchase from us), in house glazes, in house slips, extruder, slab roller, basic onsite technical support, free tea & coffee. Work to be bisque or glaze fired should be placed on the allocated shelves. For health and safety reasons you won’t have access to packing or unpacking the kilns.

Open Access times: Mondays, 12pm – 8pm & Tuesdays, 10am - 4pm. For the health and safety of other studio users it’s important that you spend at least 15 minutes cleaning the area you have worked in so please allow 15 mins to clear up before you plan to end your session. In the event of somebody not leaving their work area in a suitable condition we will issue a warning, and if this were to happen regularly we could refuse access.

Annually, the studio will be open throughout the year, including Bank Holiday Mondays unless otherwise stated. We are closed for two weeks during Christmas and New Year and will notify members of the dates of this closure (you will not pay membership for weeks that the studio is closed).

Who can come: You must be able to work independently. On your first session you will have a 5 minute induction of the space from a technician. It is not possible to invite guests to the studio.

Shelving space: You will be allocated shelving space. Within this space you will be able to store any of your own tools, clay, materials and ongoing work. You will also have access to a limited space in the damp cupboard. You will manage and be responsible for your work (if you need to pop in for 5 minutes during the week to wrap up work you will not be charged although please contact us prior to your visit to check we are on site). It is your responsibility to keep your work moving through the studio - if work is left lying around it will be thrown out at the end of the teaching term.

Marking your work: Your work must be clearly labelled with your name at all times.

Materials cost: Clay will be sold per bag (the price varies according to the type of clay purchased - please see price list.) and the clay then becomes your responsibility in terms of reclaiming and storing within your allocated space. There is a charge for glazes/slips and firing costs which is worked out by weight. The cost of the first 3 kg of work produced in any month is built into your membership, any additional work is charged at £6 per kilogram. Please note if you are using your own glazes, finished work is charged at £5 per kilogram.

Technical support: There will be basic onsite technical support with someone to answer studio questions, however unlike during a class there will not be weekly demonstrations. If you have more in-depth questions regarding your work you can book a 30 minute one to one with a member of staff which are available once a month on request.

Additional Workshops: Whilst a member if you book an additional course with us you are entitled to a 10% discount on these. If you book something please contact us so we can apply the discount for you!

For More Information Please Email: cwsdumfries@gmail.com