Friends of Odyssey ClayWorks
Greetings, Friends of Odyssey,
The cancellation of our Spring Session and closure of our gallery due to the COVID-19 emergency has left Odyssey ClayWorks with a significant financial deficit that endangers the future of the studio. We are facing a budget shortfall of nearly $60,000 now, for the time period between March 18th and our tentative reopen date of May 15th.
Our staff has been working tirelessly to pursue stopgap funding, including applying for a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the SBA. We submitted our materials and applications well before the deadline, but, like many other small businesses, did not receive a loan before the money ran out.
Odyssey ClayWorks, chosen as one of the best places to learn craft in Asheville 12 years in a row, has been a ceramics center for a thriving community of young artisans, students of all ages, professional potters and gifted instructors since 1994. Our staff consists of 27 hardworking creatives, many of whom are self-employed and derive the majority of their income from gallery sales and teaching opportunities at Odyssey.
We enjoy providing creative and educational services around the year and we sincerely miss having everyone in the studio! We love having the opportunity to work with veterans in the studio, as well as offering offsite classes. Our instructors enjoy working with individuals in alcohol and substance recovery programs. We have been developing curriculum with Blue West Opportunities, an organization that advocates for adults with developmental disabilities. A Blue West administrator shared with us that “this is the favorite part of their week!” In the summertime, our studio is filled with the laughter and energy of over 200 of Asheville’s children, and we love every minute!
At Odyssey ClayWorks, we offer scholarship opportunities to students of all ages at every skill level and believe that everyone should experience the love of clay! To make this possible, we rely heavily on our annual Auction fundraiser. Due to the virus, we are unsure if we will be able to host our yearly event and are anticipating that this will be our major fundraiser for the year.
We hope to continue providing amazing experiences for all members of our community, creating a warm, inviting, supportive and safe atmosphere for everyone who comes through our doors.
Throughout the duration of Stay Home, Stay Safe, our staff has been producing online content as a form of connecting with our community, far and wide. Stay tuned and follow along on our Instagram and Facebook for educational videos, giveaways, and more!
As a thank you for donating, we have some awesome perks listed below! Please email us at [email redacted] if you have any questions.
Thank you for supporting us now in our time of need.
Our Best,
Gabriel Kline and Odyssey ClayWorks
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$20+ Thank you card!
$50+ Odyssey Sticker
$100+ Odyssey T-Shirt
$250+ Odyssey Hoodie
$350+ Small to medium sized pot donated by one of our featured artists.
$500+ One clay camp tuition OR 4 hour Private Lesson credit to work with Gabriel Kline, Anja Bartels, or Julia Claire Weber.
$750+ Medium to large sized pot donated by one of our featured artists.
$1000+ Two free classes OR one 5-day workshop.
$2500+ Free classes and workshops for one year.
$5000+ HUGE pot made by Director, Gabriel Kline.
$10000+ EVERYTHING listed above.