Clay Yorkshire

28/08/2026

Looking for somewhere to make?

We have a small number of independent maker spaces available at Clay Yorkshire.

If you’re an experienced ceramic maker and want somewhere dedicated to work on your own projects, our studio space could be just what you’re looking for.

For £300 for 6 weeks (£50 per week) you get:

• Your own dedicated desk space
• Personal cupboard/storage space
• Use of our studio tools and equipment
• Access to our kilns for a separate firing charge, subject to size and capacity
• Clay available to purchase from us
• A spacious, light-filled ceramics studio
• The opportunity to work alongside a small group of like-minded makers

There’s no tuition, this is independent, self-directed studio time. James and Rebecca are working downstairs in the main workshop, so although you’re working independently, you’re part of the wider Clay Yorkshire studio environment.

We’re currently looking for a few more Yorkshire-based makers to join our Monday and Tuesday groups.

We’re deliberately keeping the groups small and only take on people who we feel are a good fit for the space and our studio environment.

Interested? Send us a DM and tell us a little about yourself and what you make.

We’d love to hear from you. 🖤

📍 Clay Yorkshire, Yorkshire Sculpture Park

18/08/2026

Five Days. Two Artists. Your Own Work.

There’s something very special about spending five days immersed in clay, surrounded by other makers and learning directly from two professional sculptors.

Our CLAY Yorkshire courses give you the opportunity to work alongside James Oughtibridge and Rebecca Appleby, gaining first-hand insight into how we each approach our own work, from developing an idea through to construction, problem solving and finishing.

Throughout the five days, we share exciting demonstrations and practical techniques, giving you the opportunity to see the processes we use in our own studios and then apply them to your own work.

You’ll have plenty of time to experiment, develop your ideas and receive individual guidance, all within our beautiful studio overlooking the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

And there’s a real opportunity to push your work further. Our courses are designed to leave you with new skills, new ideas and the inspiration to continue developing your own practice.

We currently have limited availability on our 2026 courses, including our five-day Advanced Course in November and our two-day Plaster Mould & Press-Moulding Course in September.

Our 2027 five-day course dates are now also available, with places already booking.

The Advanced Course is now open to anyone with a good level of hand-building experience — you don’t need to have attended one of our previous courses.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, don’t leave it too long. Places are limited and our courses do fill quickly.

Visit the link in our bio for dates, full details and bookings.

We’d love to have you in the studio. 🤍

14/08/2026

FIVE DAYS TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN WORK • 2–6 NOVEMBER

Our final five-day course of 2026 is a little different.

This course is designed for people who have previously worked with us, or who already have a good knowledge of hand building and want to take their work further.

Rather than starting with the basics, the five days give you the time and space to focus on your own ideas, experiment with new approaches and develop your skills and confidence with clay.

With James and Rebecca working alongside you throughout the week, there’s plenty of individual guidance, discussion and encouragement as you develop your own work.

We’re always amazed by what students produce on our five-day courses. The variety of ideas, approaches and finished pieces is incredible — and that’s one of the things we love most about teaching them.

If you’ve been to CLAY Yorkshire before, this is a great opportunity to come back and really focus on your own development.

And if you haven’t joined us before but already have a good grounding in hand building, we’d love to welcome you too.

2–6 November 2026

There are still places available, so if you’ve been thinking about joining us, this is our final five-day course of the year.

Our 2027 five-day courses are also now open for bookings, including another course specifically aimed at developing your work further.

Full details and booking via the link in our bio.

11/08/2026

Want to learn how to make your own plaster press moulds?

Our two-day Plaster Press Mould Making Course takes you through the process from start to finish.

Over the two days, you’ll learn how to prepare your form, work with plaster and create your own press mould ready to use with clay. Depending on the form and how you work, you’ll make one, possibly two, moulds during the course.

It’s a focused, hands-on course designed to give you a technique you can continue using in your own studio.

Our 24–25 September course has very limited availability, so if plaster mould-making is something you’ve been wanting to learn, now is a good time to book.

Full details and booking via the link in our bio.

02/08/2026

Not every week needs to be busy.

Sometimes it’s enough to spend a few days making with your hands, slowing down, learning something new, and leaving with ideas that continue long after the course has finished.

That’s what we hope to offer at Clay Yorkshire.

2027 course dates are now open to book via the link in our bio.

31/07/2026

31/07/2026

Our Clay Yorkshire studio has now closed for the summer break after a fantastic season of courses.

A huge thank you to everyone who has travelled from near and far to spend time with us in the studio. It has been a real pleasure to welcome so many wonderful makers, share ideas, develop new skills and see such inspiring work emerge over the week.

We’re taking a little time to rest, recharge and get back into our own making before we open the studio doors again in September.

We can’t wait to welcome our next groups and continue creating, learning and sharing together.

Until then, have a wonderful summer and we’ll see you in September.

SurfaceDecoration YorkshireSculpturePark CeramicArtist ClayCommunity CeramicsStudio

20/07/2026

Looking to spend even more time working with clay?

If you’ve already enjoyed one of our three-day courses with James or Rebecca and are ready to immerse yourself in a longer workshop, our Clay Yorkshire five-day courses are the perfect next step.

Across five creative days, you’ll explore a wider range of hand-building techniques, develop your confidence in clay, and be introduced to a variety of surface treatments to bring your work to life.

One of the highlights of the week is our visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on day two, where we’ll take inspiration from world-class sculpture before returning to the studio to develop ideas in clay.

Whether you’re looking to build on existing skills or simply enjoy a week dedicated to making, the course offers plenty of time for creativity, experimentation and individual guidance.

Clay Yorkshire 2027 course bookings are now open through our website. We look forward to welcoming you to the studio.

03/07/2026

A week immersed in clay. ✨

These beautiful photographs were taken by one of our recent students during our five-day hand-building course at our Longside Studio, overlooking the stunning Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

For five days, our students step away from everyday life and immerse themselves in clay—learning new techniques, developing their own ideas and creating work in a supportive, inspiring environment. It’s an intensive, rewarding week filled with making, conversation, laughter and plenty of creativity.

Whether you’re completely new to clay or already have experience, our courses are designed to help you develop your skills, grow in confidence and leave feeling inspired.

We’re delighted to have a handful of places still available on selected five-day courses this year, along with limited availability on one of our returning student courses for those who have previously joined us.

If you’ve been thinking about spending a creative week with us, now is the perfect time to book. Once these remaining places are gone, our 2026 programme will be fully booked.

Visit the website via the link in our bio to explore the courses and secure your place.

12/05/2026

First great day of our 5 day handbuilding course here at Clay Yorkshire.

Today focused on slowing down, observing and beginning the process of developing ideas through research and experimentation. Students started with observational studies from rocks and pebbles — drawing, exploring form and surface through a range of 2D media before translating ideas into simple sculptural forms.

An important reminder that strong sculptural work rarely begins with the final piece. The preparation, research, material testing and maquette making are all part of the creative language that helps inform the finished work.

A brilliant group of students already pushing ideas in very different directions. Looking forward to seeing how these initial studies evolve over the next four days.

YorkshireSculpturePark Sculpture CeramicArt ArtistStudio Clay ContemporarySculpture Maquette SurfaceDesign CreativeProcess