Pay What You Can Drop-ins

MON - 12pm - 3pm
TUES - 12PM - 3PM
WED - 12PM - 3PM
Sat - 12PM - 3PM

Pay What You Can drop-ins

GoodMood Pottery is running open-access, pay-what-you-can drop-in sessions in Camberwell, South London. Our roots are socialist, and that shapes everything we do. Making things with your hands shouldn't be a luxury for people who can afford it. Creativity belongs to everyone, and working with clay is genuinely good for you, so money shouldn't be the reason you miss out.

So wherever we can, we try to make that real. That means keeping classes affordable, sharing tools and know-how instead of guarding them, and welcoming people who've never thought of themselves as "the creative type." We don't always get it perfect, but the goal doesn't change: put clay in as many hands as possible, and keep the door open to anyone who wants to walk through it.

If you're after a creative outlet but things are tight right now, come and sit down at the wheel or the bench with us. The minimum is £20 a session. Beyond that, pay what you can to help keep us running, and no pressure if £20 is all you've got.

How it works

We run a handful of heavily subsidised open access drop-in sessions, so pay whatever you're able to above the minimum. A great option if you can't commit to a membership or come during the week.

These sessions are for potters who've taken classes or completed a course elsewhere, so you'll need some experience in a ceramic studio. When you arrive, the time is yours. Hand-build at the table or throw on the wheel, with clay and tools included. There's no teacher and no pressure to make anything "good," just space to get your hands in the clay.

There are only a few tickets each week and they go fast, so grab one when you see it. Find us in Camberwell, South London, every Monday to Wednesday and Saturday from 12pm to 3pm.

    • Book your session — each session runs for 3 hours.

    • Pay what you can — minimum £20 per person. Anything extra is a tip that helps us keep the studio running.

    • Get making — 1kg of clay is included.

    • Glaze and fire your pieces — £15 per piece to have it fired in the kiln.

    • Collect — pop back once it's fired and take your finished piece home.

      Why we charge a minimum of £20

      We keep prices as low as we can, but running a studio still costs money. The £20 minimum covers the essentials: rent on the space, the electricity that keeps the lights on and the equipment running, the clay and tools you use, and fair pay for the people who keep everything ticking over. It's simply what it takes to keep the doors open.

      Anything you pay above the minimum helps us stay this affordable. If you can give a bit more, you're helping make room for someone who can't right now. That's the socialist idea in practice: we keep the place going together, and we share what we can.

  • Studio Access & Clean-Up

    We kindly ask everyone to arrive on time so we can make the most of our session together. To help keep the studio running smoothly, please begin tidying up 15 minutes before the end of the session; this includes labeling and storing your work, cleaning tools, and wiping down your workspace with a sponge and water. These steps reflect standard ceramic studio practice and COSHH guidelines, and we really appreciate your cooperation.

    The Ceramics Process

    · Make your pieces

    · Allow work to dry (1 week to refine; 2–4 weeks before firing depending on size)

    · Return to trim, fettle, and optionally decorate

    · Dry fully before first firing (3+ weeks)

    · Return to glaze

    · Final firing and collection (approx. 3+ week turnaround)

    Clay Allowance

    Clay is included for workshop participants. There may be additonal charges per KG for clay if using large amounts. Open Access users and Members must buy their own clay. Acceptance of Terms By booking any class, workshop, event, or voucher, you agree to these terms and conditions.

    Class Validity

    Open Access passes and vouchers are valid for 6 months from purchase. Date-specific classes are valid only for the booked date unless rescheduled within 2 months. All bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable unless stated otherwise.

    Rescheduling

    To help us manage bookings fairly, courses and half-day tasters require one month’s notice for a refund. Thank you for your understanding—these guidelines help us offer a great experience for everyone.

    Storage of Work

    To help us look after everyone’s pieces, unfired work is stored for up to two weeks and must be clearly labelled. Bisque-fired and finished work is stored for 4–6 weeks. Any work that is unlabelled or not collected within these timeframes may be recycled to make space for others. Thank you for your understanding—unfortunately, refunds cannot be offered for recycled work

    Finished Work

    All pieces go through two firings before they’re complete, which helps ensure the best results. For this reason, finished work won’t be ready to take home after your first session—but we promise it will be worth the wait! Thank you for your understanding—unfortunately, refunds cannot be offered for recycled work.

    Firings & Equipment

    Estimated turnaround is 3 weeks per firing. Delays may occur. Over-glazed or excessively thick work will not be fired.

    Health, Safety & Liability

    Your safety is important to us, and we ask everyone to follow COSHH and studio guidelines to help keep the space safe and enjoyable for all. Goodmood cannot accept responsibility for injuries that result from not following these guidelines, and students may be liable for damage caused by misuse of equipment or materials. As part of the ceramic process, breakages, glaze variations, and kiln-related incidents can occasionally occur, and refunds cannot be offered in these cases. Thank you for your understanding and care in the studio.

    COSHH Guidelines

    Silica and ceramic materials can be hazardous when airborne. Follow all studio safety rules, clean using water only, avoid dry sanding or sweeping, and wear appropriate PPE when required. Ask staff if unsure at any time.

    Contact

    For questions, email hello@goodmoodpottery.com. We respond within 2 working days (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm).

Elevate Your Pottery Skills with Our Wheel-Throwing Course

*Please note, these are not classes – only book them if you are comfortable working independently