Is it possible to be too successful for your own good? The London Potters Guild has been pondering this question recently. Founded in 1981, our Guild began with a small group of potters who met for nearly a decade in the art room of Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School. We have since become an organization of well over one hundred enthusiastic members, and have been called “one of the jewels in London’s’ arts crown.” This success has left us bursting at the seams of our current East London facility. Demand for our classes, workshops and services has outpaced this facility’s ability to serve the needs of our community.

Building for our Future

The London Potters Guild envisions a dedicated Clay Art Centre, which will offer the community:

• A fully equipped teaching studio for pottery and sculpture.
• A fully equipped member’s studio dedicated for on-demand use (with 24-hour access)
• Outreach services – effective partnerships with community organizations to make pottery and clay art instruction available for a greater number of area individuals and groups (including children, seniors and various special needs populations).
• Studio space for rent to emerging artists.
• An Artist-in-Residence Program, which will provide space and equipment for a recent graduate in exchange for their expertise.
• Programming for intermediate and advanced level potters across southwestern Ontario, including Master Level Classes.
• An On-site Gallery and Retail Space.
• A Resource Centre containing books, magazines, videos, audiovisual equipment and a computer with internet access (to assist potters with glaze calculations). The Resource Centre will also house our permanent collection, which contains works by many notable clay artists.
• Expanded employment opportunities for guild members, emerging clay artists and recent graduates of local arts programs, many of whom have previously been forced to leave the area to seek employment in their field.
• A convenient location along city bus routes.
• A barrier-free facility with ample parking.

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