Creative Scotland Crowdmatch has provided £2,500 of match funding
Adventures with Clay - throwing for community
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Aim
Help equip Edinburghs newest pottery studio with five wheels, allowing the local community to access all the benefits of working with Clay
My campaign has been approved for live match funding from Creative Scotland Crowdmatch! Every £1 pledged will be matched by £1 - which has given my crowdfunder an incredible boost already !
About me
My name is Emma and I’ve been working as a full time potter for almost five years. Prior to this I was a jeweller and pottery was my hobby, and I fell instantly in love with the freedom and creativity that playing with clay allows. It wasn't too long before my adventures with clay took off and I packed the jewellery tools away.
What I’m asking for & why
I’m asking for your support to raise £5,000 toward the start up costs of my new studio in Granton Station, Edinburgh. I’ll be moving in at the beginning of February. I’ve got costs such as the electrics for the kiln instillation, deposit and first months rent covered. I already have my own pottery wheel and If my crowdfunder is successful it will allow me to purchase four more, allowing me to deliver wheel throwing courses and taster sessions to the local community.
I aim to accommodate anyone with an interest in clay, other makers, full time workers, mums, dads, students, your granny, any one who has always fancied having a go. Everyone is welcome.
Benefits of working with Clay
It is well documented that working with Clay offers significant mental health benefits. It reduces stress, anxiety and depression through its grounding tactile nature. It promotes mindfulness - quite naturally - because it requires complete focus. When you are centring a ball of clay on the wheel or pulling the walls of a vessel worries fade away - it’s hard to focus on anything other than the task in hand. Participating in a pottery course can boost self esteem, provide a creative outlet and foster social connections. These are all central to what my new studio and its workshops will offer.
More about my new studio
I’m excited to have found my fabulous new studio at Granton Station. Managed by the charity WASPS it is located within the Granton Waterfront regeneration project. Restoration (in partnership with WASPS and the City of Edinburgh Council) of this former derelict railway station was completed in March 2023. For the first time in a century the building was open to the public - marking a major milestone in the project. Its EPC energy rating of A is the highest sustainability grade. Granton has a productive heritage and it feels like the perfect fit for my pottery studio.
I am exploring ways to offer the local community subsidised places on my workshops, so that common barriers for anyone experiencing financial hardship can be removed. Setting up a Community Interest Company is something I’m looking into - as is setting up a pay it forward fund - but first i need to get the wheels!
Support from WASPS
“We are delighted to welcome Emma (Adventures with Clay) to our community or artists at Wasps, specifically at Granton Station, where she will now be in a position to provide pottery workshops within the community. This studio and the opportunities that come with it will provide a creative outlet for the wider community, enhancing social connections to those in and around Granton.”
Caitlin Callaghan - Events and Program Manager, Wasps
Crowdfunder Investments
£5,000 will allow me purchase four pottery wheels at a cost of £1,200 each. I have opted for wheels that are manufactured in the uk, thus supporting the sector as it works towards net zero and avoids any transport emissions that buying from overseas would incur. Adding these wheels to the one I already have, gives me five - which means five places on a pottery course for the local community.
Donate and receive an Award
Thank you so much for reading this far - an appreciate it! I have some fantastic rewards on offer in return for your pledges. I’ll get started on the pottery once I’m settled into the studio around mid February/March time. Please allow me around 6/8 weeks to make all of your pots. This means they will be ready around May time, at the latest. Rewards can be either collected from me at one of my regular Edinburgh markets or posted out to you. Uk postage is included in all pledges. I’m so sorry that I am unable to post any physical pottery associated with this crowdfunder outwith the UK at this time.
I’ll keep you posted on progress of your rewards with updates here and you can follow along on instagram too @adventureswith_clay
If you are familiar with my pots and you were hoping to see a glaze or style that isn’t included here just get in touch with me and I’ll see what I can do 😊
This project successfully funded on 17th February 2026