6 - Month Clay Residency Application

Delores Pottery is proud to offer a 6 - month residency exclusively for Black ceramic artists, made possible through the generous support of Kaabo Clay. This residency is designed to foster focused studio practice, creative exploration, and professional growth within a nurturing, community-centered environment.
This residency will also provide free access to materials, firings, space, teaching opportunities, and exhibition support—removing barriers and creating room for artistic expansion and visibility.
While this residency is meant to be 6 months, a 1 - 2month expansion may be requested or offered if the work requires more time.

Residency Overview
The selected resident artist will receive:
- Clay (up to 1,500 lbs)and glaze materials covered (up to $1000) by Delores Pottery

- Free firings in our electric kilns. Pieces will be fired around the normal studio firing schedule 

- Free firings in our wood kiln (cone 10 plus) How many firings is dependent on time of year and firing schedule. The kiln is currently being built and will be completed by March 2026. Work fired in the wood kiln will be a part of the early firings.

- Dedicated personal studio workspace

- Paid Opportunities to teach classes and workshops

- Marketing support and a culminating gallery exhibition showcasing work created during the residency

At the conclusion of the residency, Delores Pottery will host and promote a solo gallery exhibition, celebrating the resident artist’s work and creative journey. Delores Pottery commission is 30%.

Who Should Apply
This residency is open to Black ceramic artists at emerging or mid-career stages who are seeking time, space, and support to deepen their practice.

Artists who:
- Are committed to developing a cohesive body of work

- Are interested in electric and/or wood firing (experience welcome but not required)

- Value working within a collaborative studio and community environment

- Are interested in teaching, mentoring, or sharing knowledge

are strongly encouraged to apply.

Residency Expectations
The resident artist is expected to:
- Maintain an active studio practice throughout the 6 - month residency

- Participate in the studio community and engage with students and visitors

- Create work for the final gallery exhibition. At least 50% of the work in the showcase must be made during the residency. Expectations can be made for sculptors and larger bodies of work. 
Provide an artist talk in connection to the final showcase

How to Apply
Please complete and submit the Application below.

Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed based on artistic quality, clarity of vision, and alignment with the values of Delores Pottery. Our goal is to create space for meaningful creative work while fostering representation, equity, and community within the ceramic arts.
This application is intentionally informal. Please write in your own voice—as if you’re talking to a friend. We’re more interested in getting to know you and your work than reading polished, academic responses.

We are honored to offer this residency and look forward to supporting a Black ceramic artist through this dedicated period of growth, experimentation, and visibility.