Our wheels are spinning again!
FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | Our fall term classes resumed January 16, and our winter term began February 8. Our Shop and Gallery resumed normal hours every day on January 16.
Meanwhile, we’ve got you virtually covered.
Explore our Winter schedule of offerings that include an array of virtual learning and social experiences: online clay tutorials, virtual classes and workshops, virtual talks with artists and curators, live weekly chats, and virtual first fridays. PLUS: "Drawn To Clay," our online Coloring Book, and our Memory Game Online.
Updates
- MARCH 3, 2021 | You can search for locations that offer the vaccine, using the Vaccine-Finder app. Vaccine-Finder is a free, online service.
Locate clinics, pharmacies, and health departments around the country that provide vaccination services. The list of locations changes each day, therefore check back frequently. At this time most of the country is only vaccinating citizens that are considered 1A, but improvements and expansion are expected. Share this info with your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. It is one of the most important and valuable apps!
- FEBRUARY 1, 2021 | Winter 2021 Classes will now run Feb 10 - April 20th.
- NOVEMBER 16, 2020 | In order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the City of Philadelphia officials announced new restrictions beginning Friday, November 20. The Clay Studio will pause our school programming beginning November 20. We will plan to resume the fall term beginning January 4, 2021. The dates for winter term have not yet been determined. Our retail hours will remain open.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 | FALL Classes are in session! We've taken every precaution to create a safe, comfortable environment for wheel throwing and handbuilding classes, for Open Studios, and for glazing sessions. Read the new guidelines and keep it handy for sign-up times outside of classes. Our Shop and Galleries are open at normal hours again. Browse our Shop to see the newest arrivals of ceramics, books, t-shirts and jewelry, and help support working artists by making a purchase.
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JULY 6, 2020 | We have safely reopened to normal hours for our shop, galleries, classrooms and studios! Summer classes are in session1 Read the new public guidelines here. Specific guidelines for students, teachers, and artists are here.
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JULY 5, 2020 | The Clay Studio's annual signature fundraising event, Mud Ball, has been rescheduled to September 17 — and this time it's virtual! Join us online with fabulous friends and fine art, plus live auctions and raffles. Please be assured that we will honor all tickets and sponsorships that have already been made.
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JUNE 12, 2020 | SUMMER CAMPS June 22 through August 28 This year all summer camps will be virtual! Complete details here.
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APRIL 14, 2020 | SPRING TERM 2020 UPDATE With great consideration and in response to CDC recommendations, we have decided to cancel our Spring 2020 term. While this is a deeply saddening decision that has a far-reaching impact on the organization and our community of students and artists, we do it with everyone’s safety in mind.
We are planning for the following interim and summer programming:
1. Summer Term: 10-weeks scheduled for June 22 – Aug 30.
2. Interim Programming: Open Studio availability for returning students that will be available for registration as soon as we can open our doors and is based on the weekly cost of this program.
For those of you currently registered for the spring term, we are offering several options:
Option 1. Transfer your spring registration to a summer term class
Option 2. Donate all or a portion of your tuition back to The Clay Studio*
Option 3. Receive a credit on your account for use during a future term
Option 4. Receive a refundPlease fill out the "Spring Term Registration Processing" google form to let us know which option you prefer and next steps.
*This donation is tax-deductible and will help support The Clay Studio during this very uncertain time. Please consider making a donation in support of our non-profit mission, as your contribution means more now than ever. Also, please note that the CARES Act creates a new above-the-line deduction for you and for all taxpayers for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to cash contributions made in 2020 (extended now through 2021) and can be claimed on tax forms next year. The law also lifts the existing cap on annual contributions if you itemize, raising it from 60% of adjusted gross income to 100%.
We ask for your patience as our staff is currently working remotely. We are doing our best to answer any and all questions and requests as quickly as possible.
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MARCH 27, 2020 | The CARES Act is signed into law. Here is useful information for Unemployment Relief and Individual Tax provisions.
Highlights:
• 2020 Recovery Payment: All U.S. residents with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 ($150,000 joint filers) are eligible for a $1,200 ($2,400) payment, as well as an additional $500 per child (under age 17).
• Increased Unemployment Assistance: Provides an additional $600/week payment to each recipient of unemployment insurance for up to four months.
• Delay in Tax-filing Requirements: Individuals now have until July 15, 2020, to file their 2019 tax returns instead of April 15.
• The CARES Act also means that charitable contributions this year carry more deductions than at any other time. Full details here.
1. The CARES Act creates a new above-the-line deduction for you and for all taxpayers for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to cash contributions made in 2020 (extended now through 2021) and can be claimed on tax forms next year.
2. The law also lifts the existing cap on annual contributions if you itemize, raising it from 60% of adjusted gross income to 100%. - MARCH 23, 2020 | The Clay Studio National, our biannual juried exhibition showcasing the breadth of U.S. ceramics today, is currently on schedule to open June 20. Artists should apply by May 25. The application fee has been waived.
- MARCH 20, 2020 | The Clay Studio's annual signature fundraising event, Mud Ball, has been rescheduled to September 11. In the meantime, it is urgent that you Raise Your Virtual Paddle now, to meet a $20,000 matching challenge to help raise critical funds for a new Claymobile! Please be assured that we will honor all tickets and sponsorships that have already been made at the September 11th event. See you in September!
- MARCH 19, 2020 | In accordance with orders from Governor Wolf, The Clay Studio is now completely closed to the public. This includes EVERYONE: Staff, Residents, Associates, Work Exchange, Interns, Students, and public visitors. We recognize and acknowledge the inconvenience these changes may cause. However, these decisions have been made out of urgent concern for the health and well-being of our greater community.
- MARCH 16, 2020 | In accordance with orders from Mayor Kenney, The Clay Studio is closing March 16th until further notice. In order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 Coronoa virus, City of Philadelphia officials announced new restrictions on commercial activity, and a halt to all non-essential commercial business activities beginning Monday, March 16, at 5pm. A precise end date has not been determined. In response, entire Clay Studio staff is now working remotely. As a small nonprofit, we have asked everyone to be flexible and assist us as we continue to support our clay community of artists, teachers, students, and schoolchildren. In the event of class cancellations or student withdrawals, all students will be eligible for a credit for a future class.
- Our primary modes of communication for updates are via email (info@theclaystudio.org) and our website. You may also want to subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter here to to have all the latest news delivered to your inbox.
Resources for our Clay Community
The Clay Studio's Resources for Artists, Teachers, and Students
- Clay at Home | Our Clay Studio staff, teachers, and artists are hosting a brand new series online — Clay at Home. These include clay tutorials, artist's studio/gallery tours, kids activities, and live-streamed conversations with Clay Studio friends. Stay tuned for more, like our Lunch and Learn series of interactive interviews with artists, curators, and scholars via Zoom.
- Our Shop continues to accept and fulfill orders, and we're offering free shipping on any items purchased until we reopen! (Pass it along!). This is an important way to continue to support our community of ceramic artists, local and national, who are among the most vulnerable during this uncertain time. Remember, 50% of any purchase in our Shop or Gallery goes directly to the artists!
- Explore The Clay Studio's permanent collection, a rich digital historical record of the many artists whose careers have been fostered at The Clay Studio. Read more about this project here.
Other Resources for Artists, Teachers, and Students
for Artists
- Artists: apply for up to $500 through COVID-19 Arts Aid PHL. Review guidelines [.pdf] before applying.
- Grants and Resources for Artists and Nonprofits
- Masks for Humanity
- Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
- Families First Coronavirus Response Act : employee rights including emergency paid sick leave and emergency family and medical leave
- National Endowment for the Arts: COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations
- Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy has a list of employment, funding, and other resources for artists
- The CARES Act provisions for Unemployment Relief and Individual Tax Relief
- Blink Art artist resources and sign-up form for updates
- $250,000 in Emergency Grants for Female Artists Over 40
- Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts free legal services to low income artists — everything from simple studio leases to complex intellectual property matters.
for Art Educators, Teaching Artists
- Public Citizens for Children and Youth has free arts learning resources for educators and parents
- Claymobile Lesson Plans for Teachers
for Students, Learners
- New York Times: Yes, You Can Channel Your Stress Into Creativity. Here's How.
- The Whitney Museum of American Art provides online archives: Watch and Listen
- National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea: Google Arts and Culture
- All the Virtual Concerts, Plays, Museums and other culture you can enjoy from home
- Lifetime Arts: Podcast for Artists and Teachers
- Hyperallergic: 2,500 Museums You Can Now Visit Virtually
- The Museum of Art and Design: Online Learning Lab
- 3,300 + Ted Talks, many that are relevant to the arts and the challenging times we are in.
- American Craft Forum: Innovation in the Face of Adversity — FREE online events on April 3, 10, and 17.
- Ceramic Arts Network: CLAYflicks
- Greenwich House Pottery: online learning resources
- The Everson Museum: live instagram videos of current exhibitions
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art: online 360 tour.
- New York Times: 10 Binge-Worthy Art Podcasts in the Age of Coronavirus
- Studio Potter for educators: Using the Studio Potter's online Archive
- Art Net: 9 Dazzling Virtual Art Experiences
- Craft in America: full episodes online. The episode on Service features Ehren Tool, William Daley and The Clay Studio
- Ben Carter's Podcast - Tales of a Red Clay Rambler interviews with artists and creatives from around the world
Especially for Kids and Families
- The Clay Studio's Official Coloring Book
- The Clay Studio's Memory Game Online
- Claymobile to Go portable clay kits to do at home — in three flavors!
- "Read to Me" children's books read aloud on YouTube, organized by The Picasso Project and Public Citizens for Children and Youth. The Clay Studio's Megan Lasiter reads "Claymates"
Ways You Can Help Support our Clay Community
- During this uncertain time, The Clay Studio remains absolutely committed to supporting those who may be most vulnerable due to recent events — our community of artists, teachers, students, and schoolchildren. We are here, as always, because: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Gift certificates are a wonderful way to support artists and The Clay Studio's operations — and we're so glad to see the responses so far! Remember, 50% of any purchase in our Shop or Gallery directly supports artists, and 50% supports the operations of The Clay Studio. The good news? We're offering free shipping on any items purchased until we reopen! (Pass it along!)
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Did You Know? The CARES Act means that charitable contributions this year carry more deductions than at any other time:
1. The CARES Act creates a new above-the-line deduction for you and for all taxpayers for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to cash contributions made in 2020 and can be claimed on tax forms next year.
2. The law also lifts the existing cap on annual contributions if you itemize, raising it from 60% of adjusted gross income to 100%. -
Raise Your Virtual Paddle now, to meet a $20,000 matching challenge to help raise critical funds for a new Claymobile! Claymobile provides 4,500 underserved children and adults with year-round hands-on arts programming in their schools, community centers, and social service agencies.
Stay Informed
Experts have been working hard to understand this new strain of coronavirus. Because new information is coming out every day, please visit the sites below to stay up to date and informed.
The Centers for Disease Control provides updates on the virus and safety information for the public and healthcare professionals.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health provides updates on the disease's spread within the state, as well as frequently asked questions available here.
For the latest COVID-19 updates for the City of Philadelphia text COVIDPHL to 888-777
Thank You!
On behalf of the entire Clay Studio Team, we appreciate everyone being flexible and continuing to work together with us and we thank you for choosing our nonprofit arts organization to support.