Help The Village Potters Clay Center Rise Again

The Village Potters Clay Center was a thriving wonderful creative community. It was a 14,000 square foot facility with studios, galleries and teaching center, was a thriving creative community that touched the lives of so many people. We sustained the livelihood of many artists and taught classes and workshops. We had 17 kilns, 37 wheels, 4 slab rollers and all the things needed to support 7 resident potters, 14 advanced studies potters, 6 apprentices, 8 emerging ceramic artists, a Hands on Workshop studio, Incubator studios for 8 emerging ceramic artists and on average 90-100 enrolled students in our weekly classes. Our mission was bigger than any one of us. We love pots but we love people even more!

We lost it all. The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has been devastating. The River Arts District of Asheville was filled with over 26 ft of water. This is only one location of many throughout the region simply washed away. We have been so heartbroken to see families, homes, business, and lives destroyed. These are unprecedented times. Though our beautiful space for resident and emerging potters has been devastated by the floodwaters, we feel blessed that we have each other at this time. We are incredibly grateful to our community and the love and support shown us in this great time of need.

After several days of shock, despair and grief we are ready to clean up and rebuild. We have decided that our mission is not done. We will rise again and are committed to find a new location and rebuild. We have a plan to move to a different area of the city outside of the flood plain. We are so thankful for any and all contributions and your support of this cause. We are going to use any funds raised to rebuild in a new location and fulfill our mission to raise the next generation of potters. Any surplus will be given to the arts community in need surrounding us.

We will continue telling our story and adding more of our plans to this fundraising page once we get through this first phase of evacuating our current facility. We are currently fully engaged with clean up and salvaging anything that can be salvaged. This is taking our full focus right now. We will continue to update this and you all as this process unfolds. We are so grateful for your encouragement, your prayers,

and any and all contributions.