Our Mission

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Mission

Clayworks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting ceramic arts, advancing artists and students, and enriching the communities it serves.

VISION

Clayworks engages, enriches, and inspires diverse populations in the discovery, creation and celebration of the ceramic arts.

Impact Statement

Clayworks is a leader in the field of ceramic arts, providing its students and artists unparalleled access to top-quality facilities, equipment, and instruction. It provides robust arts education programming, centered on hands-on experiences with clay, to diverse populations across our region with many programs at low cost, or no cost, to the participant. Clayworks enriches its community by helping individuals reach their potential for creativity and personal growth and connecting people from a variety of backgrounds and abilities.

Accessibility Statement

Approved: October 16, 2024

Our Commitment

At Clayworks, we are committed to engaging, enriching, and inspiring diverse populations in the discovery, creation, and celebration of the ceramic arts. This includes ensuring that our programs, services, and facilities are accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy and participate in our offerings.

Clayworks is dedicated to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other companion applicable laws and regulations and providing reasonable accommodations to make our facilities and programs accessible to all individuals. Our goal is to provide equal access and opportunities for all patrons, artists, and staff members.

Our Policy

Clayworks is committed to providing equal access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Clayworks’ immediate goal is the readily achievable integration of individuals with disabilities into its ongoing programs. The organization will continue to plan for improved access to public events, facilities, and employment, and to increase awareness of access issues and practices among staff, board members, and participants.

Accessibility Features

  • Physical Accessibility: The gallery and front entrance to the studio are wheelchair-accessible ground floor entries. Ramps are provided for wheelchair access for ingress and egress to back entrances to the studio. Clayworks’ facilities are wheelchair friendly and provide additional accessibility features to the organization’s administration and programming as described further in Clayworks’ ADA Access Plan.

  • Program Accessibility: Clayworks reaches multiple under-served and cognitively/developmentally disabled communities through its Monroe Road studio and mobile classroom. Students registered for multi-week classes have 24/7 access to the studio, enabling those with sensory disorders to work during quieter times.

  • Digital Accessibility: Our website and online content are designed to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. We continuously work to improve the accessibility of our digital platforms.

Feedback and Contact Information

We welcome feedback on how we can improve accessibility. If you have any questions, need assistance, or would like to request accommodations, please contact our Accessibility Coordinator:

Adrienne Dellinger, Clayworks Executive Director

Email: adellinger@clayworksinc.org Phone: 704-344-0795, ext. 1

If you encounter barriers to accessibility or have concerns about our accessibility practices, please let us know. We are committed to addressing and resolving issues promptly.

Clayworks History

For nearly five decades, Clayworks, the one of the largest nonprofit teaching facility in the U.S., has promoted ceramic art and art education in the Charlotte community. Established in 1977 under the auspices of Spirit Square Center for Arts & Education, the studio offered courses at the center’s original North Tryon Street location. From 1996 to 1997, Clayworks operated in the same location under the Arts & Science Council. In 1998 the organization was absorbed under the McColl Center for Visual Art and relocated to studio space on East 9th Street. In 2004, Clayworks became an independent organization, maintaining its same location, but establishing its own 501(c)3 status. Clayworks moved to its current Monroe location and purchased the building in 2011, creating a permanent home for the organization.

Throughout its history, Clayworks has strategically expanded its offerings beyond ceramics classes to include specialized workshops, studio space rental for individual ceramists, and a gallery to promote and sell the work of both faculty and professional artists.

Today, Clayworks' reach into the Charlotte community is a significant part of is day-to-day operations. Through its mobile classroom, Monroe Road studio, and relationships with local Y’s, libraries, and schools, Clayworks brings self-confidence, motivation, and creative skills to the many participants in its programs, including those in under-served communities and those with cognitive/developmental disabilities.