What is the Programme?
The Open Access Programme is an ethically minded “not for profit” endeavour, which hopes to provide a practice space for emerging artists who have already received enough basic training in ceramics to work independently.
This programme aims to provide a stepping stone to emerging artists who might wish to develop their skills at minimal cost, with a view to eventually renting their own premises and developing a business and or a practice in ceramics. It also hopes to provide access to ceramics for those wishing to join our ceramics community or develop their hobby.
What is Included in the Membership?
- Shared access for up to 12 hours per week during initial opening hours 10-8 pm Tuesday- Sun (The space will be closed on Mondays). A booking system will be available through our website, and will accommodate up to 5 people initially working in the space at any one time.
- Price is £80 per month, to be paid by monthly direct debit, irrespective of how much of the max 12 hour per week access members use per month.
- Personal storage shelf 50x50x50cm plus storage for clay and shared drying and firing work storage. Members will receive up to 30 litre firings (equating roughly to the amount of work that fills an area of 18x28x64cm) at our Studio set bisque or glaze temp and firings will be completed by our interns on the member’s behalf.
- Small glazing area with a selection of glazes will also be available for members use.
Health & Safety Induction Fee £25
- Open access members will also pay for a Health, Safety & Orientation Induction of our studio on commencement of membership. This fee will be a one-off payment of £25. We are offering this Induction free to the first 15 members who join this programme.
What is NOT included:
- Does not include monthly access beyond 12 hours per week.
- Unused hours from one week cannot be transferred to subsequent weeks.
- Members will not be provided with a key to the studio but must book in online, sign in on arrival and be let in by our interns at weekends and after 4 pm weekdays.
- No access on Mondays.
- Members must be able to work independently as no tuition is included. Our studio offers individual and group classes at an additional cost.
- Does not include firings out-with our normal firing temperatures, or above 30 litres of work per month.
- Does not include clay, or individual large batch recycling facilities, but clay can be bought from the studio and reclaimed clay will sometimes be available at a reduced cost.
- Basic tools and glazes will be available in the studio, but membership does not provide all tools.
- Does not include additional storage for work stored on communal shelving for a period beyond 4 weeks.
Members must allow at least 15 minutes at end of their session to clean their workspace before leaving the studio.
Where does the income from this programme go? And why do we call it ethically minded?
Income received from this space will cover usual costs of any studio e.g., rent, insurance and energy costs, but as a “not for profit” endeavour it will also fund 4x living wage ceramic graduate internships per year, who will manage the programme. These opportunities will in-turn aid new graduates to establish their practices as well as learn new skills and receive mentoring from more established makers.
The Open Access programme will also help fund regular classes (through charity partnerships) for refugees and other members of our community who would benefit from free access to and inclusion in our activities.
We also aim to tailor this service with environmental concerns in mind and will inform members (where possible) on better ways to do things to lessen the impact of this field on the environment.
Covid Restrictions & GCS Covid Guidelines
We are opening this studio in line with presumed Covid recovery and are initially limiting access of this space to a max of 5 members at any one time. When guidance allows, we aim to increase this number to 8, when we will also extend our opening hours.
In addition, we have put in place several measures to help to keep Covid risks to a minimum.
At present we will ask that all members:
- Keep a 1m social distance from others while in the space.
- Wear facial coverings while working in this communal area if there is someone else in the space who wishes you do so.
- Not book in and cancel bookings if they have tested positive for Covid and remain away from the space until they receive 2 consecutive daily negative tests.
- Not to book in and cancel bookings if they are aware they have any Covid symptoms or if they understand that they have had a close contact with Covid (if they have not yet undergone a Covid test)
- Not to book in and cancel bookings if a member of their household is testing positive for Covid.
- Members will be briefed in full of our studios Covid guidelines at their initial Health, Safety & Orientation Induction, and our Covid guidelines will be reviewed monthly.
If you have enough experience in ceramics to work independently and would like to join our waiting list, or would like more information on the Open Access Programme please contact us by email on associate@glasgowceramicstudio.com
A big thank you to those who have made our new Open Access Programme possible!
Finally, we wish to acknowledge generous funding from a private benefactor and from Creative Scotland who have made this programme possible. We also wish to thank present and past interns and studio members who have volunteered a lot of their time to date on this endeavour.
