Hi. We are Clayspace Daylesford. We're a collective of passionate potters from rural Australia. We live in a small country town, but we dream big. We want to share our love of clay and the ancient craft of pottery with you. You the lovers of art, the lovers of handmade, the lovers of wild imagination and creative joy. Help us create the ultimate working, teaching ceramics studio to bring a bit of art to the country!



Sometimes in rural areas art can be forgotten. That's why, in  2010, we set up a not for profit co-operative, with the aim of creating a supportive space that would enable the artistic exchange of knowledge & ideas in our small community. We wanted to create a place where art, craft, making & playing is key. Where people can connect with their creativity, get their hands dirty and make something beautiful. 



We've worked hard over the past four years to try and make this dream a reality. We've built up a membership of around fifty clay lovers from all over the region and with their support, fundraising and grants we've managed to achieve some really great things for our community. We've held workshops, artist talks, built a wood kiln, set up various studio/retail spaces, but one thing we've been missing is a permanent home. Our town is a vibrant tourist town and as such, affordable rental space is hard to come by. Unlike most city areas there are no subsidised artist studios, and in September of this year we were asked to vacate the space we were using as a studio/retail space. Its been a couple of months of uncertainty, but we now have the opportunity to see everything come together in one fantastic space.



So here's what we plan to do. With your help we're going to take this empty space and turn it into a kickass studio / teaching / retail space. The new location has room for half a dozen wheels, big tables for people to play and work with clay, space enough for members to sell the things they create & a place for our kiln. Our hope is that by first term next year we will be able to offer kids clay classes, the only kids art classes in Daylesford. One of our members plans to start a class for people with dementia. Then of course there's the regular grown ups who just want to make something, do something with their hands, fulfil a creative urge. We already own the majority of the equipment we need, but we really need your help to secure the space and make it beautiful & functional for everyone to use. So lets get started!



There are some great rewards on offer, including the big one, a bowl by Clayspace Daylesford director, muse and mentor, Petrus Spronk. You can read more about Petrus and his inspirational art here and here.

If we reach our goal:

$3,500 will secure the studio for six months giving us a vital platform to become financially sustainable.

$1,000 (and time donated by local tradespeople) to renovate the space and make it workable and beautiful.

$500 will go towards finishing the kiln installation.

An extra $1000 will allow us to finish the kiln installation completely and have that baby up and running! 
Anything more will allow us to purchase more wheels to accommodate more students and assist with on going running costs.

The only obstacle we can foresee at this stage is not raising enough money to get the studio up and running. But if we can do that, with your help, we really wholeheartedly believe this project will be a rip roaring success. 

And then there will be lots more of this... :)