Our Story
At Clay Space, we believe everyone is creative.
We envision a world where clay-making as a process, a craft and an artform is valued, elevated and accessible to everyone.
Our Seeds Take Root
Our humble beginnings
Originally named Clay Space 1205 and located in GMDC’s 1205 Manhattan Avenue flagship building, Clay Space began planting seeds with its first communal clay studio in 2006. More than 15 years after this thriving community was created, the new location was opened to include a teaching component and retains a similar vibe of shared community values inside a reimagined old industrial space with 21st century inspiration.
Our new space
The massive and beautiful architecture of the former Leviton Manufacturing Company, now Greenpoint Industrial Center, is home to various light manufacturing and artisanal companies as well as an art gallery. Clay Space is thrilled to be situated alongside this vibrant community.
Our current endeavors
With the addition of classes for both adults and kids, Clay Space is a flourishing and supportive community of ceramic makers whose collective creativity and knowledge is vast and varied. The expansion of this vision to a new generation of makers through classes and workshops provides more ways for those excited by clay to become part of the vibrant and diverse community at 275 Calyer Street.
Who We Are
Our mission is to cultivate a sharing culture that will uplift and nurture clay artists and makers at every level of growth. We are committed to ushering a new generation of makers & welcoming communities that have lacked access to clay making.
Our vision is a world where clay-making as a process, a craft and an artform is valued, elevated and accessible to everyone. At Clay Space, we believe everyone is creative at Clay Space.
Our philosophy is that Clay Space is a ceramic center offering memberships, classes, & community events which uplift and nurture clay artists and makers at every level of growth. We envision a world where clay-making as a process, a craft and an artform is valued, elevated and accessible to everyone.
We are located in the heart of Greenpoint, a 7 minute walk from the Greenpoint Ave G subway stop. We are open 24/7 for members and offer a full array of classes for adults, along with an after school program for kids.
Our Values
Creativity as a right:
We believe creativity is a right, not a privilege. Clay Space provides supportive conditions for creativity to awaken and be expressed by as many people as possible.
Community at the center:
We put community at the center. By creating an atmosphere that is collaborative, members build relationships, exchange ideas, and expand knowledge. We believe that one’s individual practice can thrive in community, causing the community to flourish.
A culture of sharing:
We believe that sharing is in our nature, and a non-competitive environment provides unlimited learning and enrichment opportunities. We welcome all skill levels and support members & students from the classroom to a studio practice. By sharing, we help each other grow and develop skills, knowing one member’s success is another's inspiration.
Cultivating mindfulness & respect:
In a community full of talented people, communicating with empathy and kindness goes a long way. Clay Space looks to build a culture where inclusion and respect are a defining part of our identity.
Our role in the collective:
At Clay Space, we believe the collective can play an influential role beyond our community. As a ceramic arts center, we support expression through clay, a medium that is molded and transformed. This molding and transformation happens within the community as we work collectively, build relationships, solve problems, and produce and inspire changes in ourselves, in personal relationships and by extension, in society. Not only do we aspire to fulfill our soulful work as makers, but we use our capacity to live this practice out in the world.
Furthering our mission:
To fulfill our mission more intentionally, Clay Space is committed to building a BIPOC initiative program to support ceramic artists bound to a historical lack of access and resources who would otherwise flourish Our Residency Program seeks to address financial and racial disparity in ceramic arts by creating opportunities for intersectionality and equity by providing ceramic artists the time and space to develop and create their art and to share it with the wider community.
This program launched in January 2024
