Established in 1974, The Clay Studio in Philly is a nonprofit arts institute rooted in ceramic arts dedicated to developing and promoting the practice and its culture in the city.

On April 8, the Clay Studio will open a new location in South Kensington. The new, 34,000-square-foot location will be the new home of The Clay Studio.

The nonprofit’s old location in Old City is now closed for packing. Staff will be available to resolve customer inquiries via phone or email.

The Clay Studio upholds a model of using clay as a “force for good,” welcoming systems of change into their framework.

Today, the Clay Studio includes a collective of five artists with their additional fellowship of artists, educators, and other professionals.

The new faculty was designed by DIGSAU, who turned The Clay Studio’s new home into a first-of-its-kind ceramic arts facility. 

The new facility reaches four stories tall, and enables the Clay Studio to increase its space by 67%. Classroom space will also be increased by 193%, and Resident Artist studio by 27%.

The new space will allow 600 never-before-displayed items from the Clay Studio’s permanent collection to be displayed for visitors.

By placing the new location in South Kensington, the Clay Studio claims this will further develop the bond between the institution and the neighborhood.

The Clay Studio reports that this bond began with their “Claymobile” program having a studio in South Kensington. 

The Claymobile program is a 25-year-old community engagement program and mobile “pop up” ceramic studio.

The program has included artist-led workshops, shared meals, and facilitated conversations. Claymobile offers services to 4,000 children and adults per year and partners with 95 schools.

Ushering in the new location, a new exhibit from the Jill Bonovitz Gallery, Making Place Matters, will provide the inauguration. 

The exhibit comes from three ceramic artists — Kukuli Velarde, Molly Hatch & Ibrahim Said — and explores themes of place and cultural identity.

A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony will be held for the new location’s opening. 

The ribbon cutting ceremony will commence on April 8 at 9:30 a.m., followed by an open house until 3 p.m. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

The Clay Studio’s new facility will be located at 1425 North American Street, Philadelphia, PA.