A Letter to our Community

The Clay Studio would like to introduce the recent work that we have been doing in our newly formed Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) Committee. The Committee was formed in July 2020 as a response to police violence against black people and the protests, discussions, and reexaminations of current institutions that followed.

Since our founding in 1974, we have been dedicated to sharing the power of ceramic art and education as a force for good in our community. We now recognize that to truly live up to our values we must recommit to educating ourselves, listening to our community, and making changes based on feedback we receive. Please follow our progress on this website, which will evolve and be continuously updated.

We are particularly excited to communicate that in this new year, we will be bringing in the expertise of consultants from The ROZ Group to conduct an independent diversity assessment of The Clay Studio. This assessment will allow The ROZ Group to provide tailored DEAI training and to advise our staff and our board of directors on a strategic plan for a more inclusive and accessible organization. The consultant firm, led by Roz McPherson, has previously worked with local community organizations such as the African American Museum in Philadelphia and Fleisher Art Memorial, and is highly regarded in their field. We sincerely believe their leadership and understanding of our specific functions, needs, and values as a community arts organization will be a positive force as TCS works to serve all of our community better.