Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft ADMISSION IS FREE. Visit our website for the latest information.

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is a nonprofit visual arts center dedicated to advancing education about the process, product, and history of craft. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) showcases emerging and acclaimed artists in exhibitions, introduces visitors of all ages to contemporary craft through hands-on and virtual programming, and supports the development of working artists through its artist residency program.

06/01/2026

đŸš©Hands-On Houston: Felt Pennants this Saturday, 11AM-3PM!đŸš©â 

Join us to celebrate the world championship soccer matches coming to Houston this summer, and get into the spirit by making your very own felt pennant! Use stencils to cut out the letters of your favorite country, player’s name, or chant; glue the letters down on a base color pennant; and be ready for kick-off. What will you include on your pennant to show your spirit?

Note: Please allow 25 minutes to complete this activity. The activity will take place outdoors, weather permitting, and is on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

HANDS-ON HOUSTON is a free drop-in event held the first Saturday of every month (except in July). Each month, a teaching artist or guild demonstrates a craft related to the current exhibitions. Community members of all ages are welcome to come any time between 11AM and 3 PM and participate in a 20–25-minute activity. Materials are provided. This program supports HCCC’s mission to inspire and connect people to the art and process of making.

Learn more here: https://crafthouston.org/event/hands-on-houston-felt-pennants-2026/

This program was financially assisted by Impact100 Houston.

“Sanctuary for Salvage” Opening Reception TODAY, 3-5PM!Join us this afternoon for a unique celebration of the opening o...
05/30/2026

“Sanctuary for Salvage” Opening Reception TODAY, 3-5PM!

Join us this afternoon for a unique celebration of the opening of ceramist Jeff Forster’s exhibition, "Sanctuary for Salvage," installed in the Craft Garden!

Working with reclaimed clay, glaze waste, and kiln debris, Jeff has mounted a site-specific sculptural installation that echoes geological time and the unpredictable energy of the firing process. Don’t miss the reception this afternoon from 3-5, which will feature Jeff doing a live firing demonstration in an outdoor raku kiln, offering visitors a rare view of the elemental transformation at the heart of his practice!

Learn more at>>
https://crafthouston.org/event/sanctuary-for-salvage-opening-reception/

Final Days of “Cups for Y’all,” closing June 6!What a thrilling season it’s been celebrating the enduring vessel that is...
05/29/2026

Final Days of “Cups for Y’all,” closing June 6!

What a thrilling season it’s been celebrating the enduring vessel that is the CUP! It’s so hard to believe, but we are in fact in the final days of “Cups for Y’all,” which means you are running out of time to find your next favorite cup, goblet, trophy, or mysterious vessel-adjacent object or adoration! 👀

From coffee mugs and tea chawan to ceremonial goblets, “Cups for Y’all” explores how the cup-as-form continues to evolve through material, use, and imagination! Spanning the center gallery and a full-wall installation in our Asher: Off the Wall retail space, this combined show and sale has truly been a destination shopping experience—featuring work from a curated selection of local, national, and international artists across a variety of media and offering something for collectors at every level!

Learn more about “Cups for Y’all” by visiting our website or checking out the link in our bio!

https://crafthouston.org/event/cups-for-yall-2026/

05/28/2026

In Residence” Close Look: Macon Reed

On view through July 11, “In Residence: 18th Edition,” celebrates HCCC’s Artist Residency Program, which has supported artists working in the field of craft for more than two decades. This exciting edition, featuring work by the 2024-2025 resident artist cohort, bursts with personality and surprise, inviting conversation and connection. 

One of these artists is Macon Reed (), whose color-saturated “My First Existential Crisis” references one of the most beloved movies of the 1980s to make a very relevant point about what it means to make art. Check out this video to hear Macon describe their connection to the film, and explain how an impactful first viewing experience translated into an artistic philosophy that still impacts their work and teaching to this day. 

Anyone else getting flashbacks from a traumatic first watch of “The NeverEnding Story”? Drop an “ARTAAAAAX!!!” in the comments below to trauma-bond with fellow sensitive souls! đŸŽđŸžïžđŸ˜­đŸ‰

This video is a short clip from a full-length recording of our curator-led tour of “In Residence: 18th Edition,” which can be found on our YouTube page along with an extensive archive of exhibition programs, artist talks, and more! To learn more, check out the link in our bio!

Cup of Cups: Ceramic Throwdown coming June 4!On June 4, tap into the supreme energy of high-level competition at our ina...
05/28/2026

Cup of Cups: Ceramic Throwdown coming June 4!

On June 4, tap into the supreme energy of high-level competition at our inaugural CUP OF CUPS: CERAMIC THROWDOWN, a high-energy, wheel-throwing and elimination-round competition celebrating the skill, speed, and creativity of artists working in clay!

Inspired by Houston playing host to seven world championship matches of âšœthe most beautiful game,🏆 this four-round challenge invites ceramicists of all experience levels to test their throwing abilities before a live audience and distinguished panel of judges: artists Jeff Forster, Abi Ogle, Angel Oloshove, and Meghan Rutzebeck.

Competitors will face off across a series of increasingly difficult challenges designed to highlight precision, intuition, and imagination at the wheel. Spectators are welcome to attend, cheer on their favorite potters, and celebrate Houston’s vibrant ceramics community! At the conclusion of the event, judges will award the top competitors during a lively closing ceremony in the galleries.

This will take place in the HCCC parking lot. Parking will be available at Lawndale Art Center, or on nearby streets.

Cup of Cups is generously underwritten by Scott & Judy Nyquist.

Competitor clay generously provided by the Ceramic Store of Houston. Beer sponsored by Saint Arnold Brewing.

To learn more, visit>>
https://crafthouston.org/event/cup-of-cups-ceramic-throwdown/

05/26/2026

Thank you to all who braved the fearsome weather to join us this past Saturday for our Handwork In Orbit talks, and thank you to our incredible presenters , Craig Erkkila, Art Schlauch Jr., Mary Welch, , and !

From the extraordinary soft material developments by for the mission, to woven recreations of Mission Control seating upholstery for , to the future of spacesuit technology from , it was an inspiring afternoon that left us even prouder to be Houston-made, if that's even possible!

Missed the talk? Don't worry—a recording is now available on our YouTube page (Linkinbio), where you can also find our extensive archive of resident talks, exhibition programs, and more!

“Sanctuary for Salvage” Opening Reception 5/30, 3-5PM!Join Houston Center for Contemporary Craft to celebrate the openin...
05/25/2026

“Sanctuary for Salvage” Opening Reception 5/30, 3-5PM!

Join Houston Center for Contemporary Craft to celebrate the opening of ceramist Jeff Forster’s exhibition, “Sanctuary for Salvage,” installed in the Craft Garden. Working with reclaimed clay, glaze waste, and kiln debris, Jeff will mount a site-specific sculptural installation that echoes geological time and the unpredictable energy of the firing process. During the reception, he will do a live firing in an outdoor raku kiln, offering visitors a rare view of the elemental transformation at the heart of his practice! đŸŒŸđŸ”„đŸșđŸ”„đŸŒŸ

Learn more at>> https://crafthouston.org/exhibition/jeff-forster-sanctuary-for-salvage/

Handwork in Orbit: A Conversation On Craft and Aerospace Innovation TODAY!Join us today from 3-4PM for a very special pr...
05/23/2026

Handwork in Orbit: A Conversation On Craft and Aerospace Innovation TODAY!

Join us today from 3-4PM for a very special program featuring HCCC’s Curator + Exhibitions Director Sarah Darro, “Clutch City Craft” exhibiting artists, and Houston-based aerospace craftspeople for an exciting series of lightning-round presentations and a moderated discussion!

This wide-ranging program will explore the often-overlooked role of hand craftsmanship in the history of aerospace research. Together, these speakers will reflect on and illuminate the skilled labor embedded within aerospace technological achievement.

Presentations will include:
🚀 Exhibiting artist Mary Welch on her handwoven, NASA-commissioned upholstery for the preservation of Mission Control
🚀 Artist, inventor, and space suit designer, Ted Southern, and garment designer and technical patternmaker, Katie Coble, of Paragon Space Development Corporation on the design and development of their conceptual prototypes
🚀 Softgoods and engineering team members at Oceaneering International—including Samantha Mireles, Irnelia Torres, and Art Schlauch Jr.—on their work for NASA’s Artemis II mission

Learn more here>>
https://crafthouston.org/event/handwork-in-orbit-a-panel-on-craft-and-aerospace-innovation/

Installation view of “Clutch City Craft.” Photo by Graham W. Bell.

đŸș Cup of Cups: Ceramic Throwdown coming June 4! 🏆On Thursday, June 4th, join us for CUP OF CUPS, a high-energy, wheel-th...
05/20/2026

đŸș Cup of Cups: Ceramic Throwdown coming June 4! 🏆

On Thursday, June 4th, join us for CUP OF CUPS, a high-energy, wheel-throwing and elimination-round competition celebrating the skill, speed, and creativity of artists working in clay! đŸșđŸ„ŠđŸ†

Inspired by the competitive spirit of âšœthe most beautiful game âšœ and Houston’s role as host to SEVEN world championship matches, this four-round challenge pits ceramicists of all experience levels to test their throwing abilities before a live audience and distinguished panel of judges: artists Jeff Forster, Abi Ogle, Angel Oloshove, and Meghan Rutzebeck!

Competitors will face off across a series of increasingly difficult challenges designed to highlight precision, intuition, and imagination at the wheel. Spectators are welcome to attend, cheer on their favorite potters, and celebrate Houston’s vibrant ceramics community! At the conclusion of the event, judges will award the top competitors during a lively closing ceremony in the galleries.

Interested in competing? Registration is now full, but interested parties are encouraged to sign up for our waitlist here>>
https://forms.gle/8LKS1JKVyvrRey4N6

All participants will be provided with clay and wheels and should not bring personal tools unless otherwise specified.

Thanks to Ceramic Store of Houston for their generous material support of this event.

Learn more about Cup of Cups here>> https://crafthouston.org/event/cup-of-cups-ceramic-throwdown/

Address

4848 Main Street
Houston, TX
77002

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+17135294848

Website

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