A Softer Skill: 20 London Pottery Studios to Get Started In
There’s something grounding about working with your hands.
Pottery offers a rare kind of stillness; focused, tactile, and offline.
Whether you’re looking for a new creative ritual or just want to try something slower, these London pottery classes are a good place to begin.
North London
Social Pottery Painting
Unwind at these BYOB pottery painting sessions for adults in Kentish Town.
Choose from over 300 pieces that you can stamp paint, stencil and decorate with your own free hand.
You can order food or bring your own (is this the perfect date night venue?).
This is a relaxing, creative experience with design books on hand to spark your imagination!
Prices for the BYOB sessions start from £5.00, plus the price of the ceramics.
120 Kentish Town Rd, London NW1 9PY.
Clay Time
Head to Highbury to make your own pottery from wet clay, paint pre-made ceramics and arrange adult or children’s parties.
Clay Time is a not-for-profit community interest space.
The courses are all accessible, really good fun and brilliant for introducing kids and adults to new skills.
Half-term courses for kids cost £87.00 for 3 two-hour sessions.
168 Blackstock Road London N5 1HA.
Art4Fun
This BYOB creative cafe encourages imaginative play for all ages, from babies to grandparents!
Choose from over 500 items ready to paint, or create clay keepsakes from your baby’s footprints.
Take your camera and capture the messy session on film.
Art4Fun can arrange special events at your chosen location.
Children’s parties cost from £22.00 per child.
172 West End Lane, London, NW6 1SD
Ceramics Sculpture Studio
North Londoners will love this relaxed studio, which offers one-day courses and taster sessions to try your hand at throwing.
The studio is located in a beautiful Victorian Warehouse, under the patronage of Kingsgate Workshops Trust.
Regular exhibitions are held at the studios and an online shop features beautiful ceramics that will inspire your creativity.
A beginner’s five-week course is £280.00.
Studio 12, 114 – 116 Kingsgate Road, West Hampstead, London, NW6 2JG
South London
M.Y.O’s central London studio hosts a variety of clay-themed classes.
From making your own terracotta pot planter from scratch or painting a selection of ready-to-decorate bisque pottery, there’s a workshop for everyone who wants to get crafty.
They can also host private group bookings for birthdays, hens and baby showers for a minimum of eight to a maximum of 24 people.
The studio has a mini kitchen with an oven, microwave and fridge.
They provide free tea, coffee and music and are BYOB and food.
Anything fired in their kiln will need to be collected after two weeks from your workshop date.
Melisa Dora Ceramics
Melisa teaches a range of pottery classes from taster sessions to three-part tuition on the wheel and hand-building.
Melisa has over 10 years of experience and loves passing on her skills to budding potters.
One-to-one and group workshops are available in her lovely hidden studio behind a beautiful antique furniture shop in South East London.
Classes start from £85 and can be arranged with Melisa on a day and time that suits you both.
Hop Market Studios, 60 Honor Oak Park, London SE23 1DY.
Classes range from a two-hour taster session to a 12-week pottery course.
You can also take part in private or couple clay throwing workshops, four, eight or 12 week pottery courses and even have a clay-centric private party in the studio.
Clover Studio, Delta House Two Studios, Studio Way, South Wimbledon, SW19 3EU
The Kiln Rooms
The Kiln Room is for everyone, from curious beginners to trained practitioners.
There are three studios in Peckham Levels, Bellenden Road Arches and Copeland Park.
Book in for one-off Sunday afternoon taster sessions, throwing courses, masterclasses and drop-in sessions.
A Beginner’s Taster Course costs £140.00.
Peckham Levels Studio: Unit 202, Level 2, Peckham Town Centre Carpark, 95A Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST.
The Pottery Cafe
For over 20 years, this South London-based company has fired the imaginations of amateur potters from their gorgeous cafes in Fulham and Battersea.
The Pottery Cafe is a fun spot for hen-dos, work-dos and children’s parties.
Exclusive pottery is available from Emma Bridgwater, and their toys shops burst with traditional wooden toys.
There is a £6.99 studio fee per painting person plus the cost of the ceramics.
- Battersea: 153 Northcote Road, London, SW11 6QB.
- Fulham: 735 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5UL
Ceramics Studio Co-Op
New Cross is bursting with artists and makers, and this ceramics studio is a fantastic community space that aims to make pottery and ceramics more accessible.
The studio is run by the artists who work in it.
The weekly daytime, evening and weekend ceramics and pottery classes include brilliant introductory classes like Throwing on a Potters Wheel and Kiln Training.
The Throwing on Potter’s Wheel class costs £57.00.
17C, Juno Way, New Cross, London, UK SE14 5RW
Token Studio is perfect for creative types (or creative wannabees) with lipstick, candle, knitting, crochet, soap and leather workshops, some of which run daily.
On their 90 minute BYOB Ultimate Pottery Experience, you’ll learn how to throw a potter’s wheel in the standing position.
You’ll also discover how to use a list of hand-building technics including slab building, pinch building and Coiling and more.
After the firing, you will be able to enjoy a free painting session worth at least £28 if you were booking it separately.
They also offer a four-week ‘Make A Perfect Pot’ course for those who want something a little more involved.
Token Studio, Unit 1, St. Saviours Wharf, 23 Mill St, London SE1 2BE
East London
Recess Living | Mindful Pottery Workshops
Create and unwind in a workshop designed to help you explore your inner creativity whilst nurturing your self-care practices hosted by Recess Living founder Nina Elegba.
You will explore the benefits of mindfulness through making whilst handcrafting ceramic objects from air-dry clay using traditional hand-building pottery techniques.
This tactile intentional process offers you the opportunity to disconnect from the busyness of your world as you relax and get lost in moments of sculpting and carving with your hands.
All skill sets are welcome.
The aesthetics of the piece you make doesn’t matter, the aim is to create for pleasure without any pressure.
This pop-up pottery workshop takes place across London with a monthly residency on the last Tuesday of the month at The Factory Dalston.
Online Workshops are also available.
In-Person Workshops: £60 | Online Workshop with at-home Craft Kit: £75
SkandiHus
This stunning pottery studio in Hackney Downs is inspired by Scandinavian design, minimalism and natural materials.
Danish ceramicist Stine Dulong has designed one-day pottery taster sessions plus drop-in sessions for more experienced makers.
There are lots of other exciting classes and workshops where she shares her passion for beautiful design.
Classes run on weekdays and weekends, and private events can be arranged.
You won’t want to leave…
Pottery Taster Sessions are £45.00.
4 Tilia Road, E5 8JB (also at 90 de Beauvoir Road, N1 4EN)
Choose from one-off, weekend, evening or week-long courses in making everything from clay candle holders to ceramic tableware.
You can also order in Zoom masterclasses if you prefer to do your making at home.
Prices start at £35 for self-guided clay practice sessions.
KANA, 5A Gransden Avenue, E8 3QA
With studios in Haringey, Hoxton and Leyton, whether you’re a serious ceramist or want to start a new hobby, Turning Earth offers classes, private tuition and more in gorgeous, plant-filled surroundings.
Crown Works Pottery
Treat yourself to a day out in Bethnal Green and book a class at this intimate studio.
Choose from taster, beginner or intermediate classes, taught by professional full-time potters.
We love that class sizes are limited to eight people, which ensures high-quality teaching in a friendly atmosphere.
View courses and book online, and maybe treat a friend to a gift card.
Prices start at £55.00 for a two-hour taster session.
11 Crown Works, Temple Street, London, E2 6QQ.
Join Jess and her team of professional potters for intimate, low-key classes in Stepney.
Classes are designed to give students a chance to begin working with clay or perfect their skills as a thrower in the more intermediate sessions.
The classes start at £25.
Stepney City Farm, London, E1 3DG
Creative Biscuit Ceramics Cafe
This vibrant pottery cafe run by Karen and Tim focuses on craft, ceramics and good coffee!
The cafe is open seven days a week, and you can buy a takeaway kit to create in your own home.
There is a Kids Clay Club every Thursday, and adults can enjoy evening events where you can BYOB.
The studio charge is an affordable £4.00.
61 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1JJ
West London
The Ceramics Cafe
Let your creative juices flow at this affordable ceramics cafe chain, with London branches in Kew and West Ealing plus other locations in Surrey and Kent.
There is no minimum or maximum age restriction and all finished items are food safe.
Visit the website to see excellent party deals for kids.
The Studio charge is just £2.00.
6 Argyle Road, West Ealing, London W13 8AB
Kite Studios
Kite Studios is located in bustling Shepherd’s Bush.
The studio promotes community creativity through its huge range of pottery programmes for kids and adults.
They are now a Community Interest Company (CIC) and have established the Kite Studios Sponsorship Fund to provide spaces on art courses for children and adults from families that need help to attend creative classes.
The Friday Pottery Novice Night class starts at £30.00.
2b Bassein Park Road London W12 9RY
You can also take pottery classes online with Skillshare.
Whether you want to learn about ceramic painting, clay, fine art or wheel throwing, Skillshare has classes for beginners and experts alike.
Pottery painting in London is a popular activity.
This artistic pursuit gives you the chance to express your creativity by painting various pottery items such as plates, mugs, and vases.
Many studios and workshops across London offer pottery painting classes, catering to all skill levels.
These classes provide a fun and interactive experience, where you can learn different painting techniques and unleash your imagination.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced painter, you’ll have fun exploring this unique art form.
