Free Beginner's Ceramics Course

FREE BEGINNERS CERAMICS COURSE FOR SUNDERLAND RESIDENTS

INCLUDES FREE LUNCH!

Our beginner’s ceramics course is what we are best known for here at MBC Arts Wellbeing – combining friendly, expert tutors with practical activities getting you hands-on with specialist clay, glazes, tools and techniques. We have secured funding to deliver two beginners ceramics courses. The course will be delivered over 5 days, one day per week for five weeks, between 10am and 4.30pm – and we only have a limited number of places available. We will provide you with lunch, and if you live in Sunderland and meet the eligibility criteria below, it’s completely free to attend!

During the course you will discover how to apply a range of ceramic sculpting, joining and building techniques to create a variety of unique artworks you can take home with you at the end of the course and be proud of. You’ll start by learning rolling, cutting and mark-making, creating your very own bespoke ceramic tiles and coasters. Then you will try your hand at clay pinching techniques, sculpting a trinket bowl or a pot for a living succulent. You’ll learn how to create a forma, creating an inspired sculpture using sculpting techniques. Next you will get the chance to make a 2D slab-rolled decoration, such as a door number plaque. We will then build on your newly-acquired knowledge by helping you to create a 3D slab-rolled item, such as a decorated plant pot or your very own handmade mug. There will also be scope on the course for you to apply a number of the techniques you have developed to create your own inspired piece of work. The course also includes basic glazing techniques, giving you the chance to finish your work before our expert tutors fire it in our specialist ceramic kilns ready for you to collect at the end of the course. Throughout the sessions you will learn some of the science behind working with clay, as well as specialist terms and the basics of how a kiln works. This course is very practically led and we pack a lot in for you to have a go at! It gets fantastic reviews and we are delighted to be able to offer a limited number of places for Sunderland residents to sign up and have a go.

This is a five day beginners course being delivered one day per week over five weeks, and not a series of drop-in sessions. Before you book your place, please make sure you are able to attend the full course.

Read on for information on eligibility and how to book your place!

ELIGIBILITY:

You can take part in this fantastic course if you meet the following criteria:

1 – you must live in the Sunderland City Council area. This includes towns such as Houghton le Spring and Washington. If you’re not sure, check to see if you live in Sunderland Council’s area by following this link and entering your postcode: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

2 – you must be aged 19+. There is now no upper age limit!

3 – you must be either unemployed, working fewer than 16 hours per week, or retired

4 – you have not taken part in one of our free ceramics courses before (however, if you have taken part in a paid one off workshop in glass, or have taken part in a free glass course, you ARE eligible to sign up for this course!)

WHEN IS THE COURSE TAKING PLACE?

This course will be delivered over 5 days, one day per week for five weeks, between 10am and 4.30pm (includes a lunch break with free lunch provided by us for every participant).

We have funding to deliver two of these courses, and each course is being delivered by our fantastic tutor Frances. The same course is being delivered on the dates below, so you only need to book on to one of the two.

Course option 1: starts Tuesday 29th June, 10am – 4.30pm, every Tuesday for 5 weeks (finishes Tuesday 27th July)

Course option 2: starts Wednesday, 30th June, 10am – 4,30pm, every Wednesday for 5 weeks (finishes Wednesday 28thJuly)

WHERE WILL THE COURSE BE HELD?

The course will be delivered from The Elephant Tea Rooms, 72 – 74 high Street West, SR1 3DW. If you aren’t sure where this is, you are welcome to meet us at MBC HQ, 31 Norfolk Street, SR1 1EE and we can walk you over. If you want to meet at MBC HQ to walk across please make sure you are with us no later than 9.30am, so we can get you to the class in good time to start.

Please note: there is no parking at the back of our building. The nearest parking is at Nile Street car park.

WHAT COVID-SAFE PRECAUTIONS ARE IN PLACE?

We take the safety of our service users very seriously. We have full Covid-19 policies in place. We will provide sanitiser and masks for anyone who does not have one. We have safety screens and one way systems in place, and our new learning room is large enough to hold a small group of people with social distancing measures in place. Each learner will have their own set of equipment to use during each session, which we will sanitise before and after the session.

If you have any questions, please send us a direct message. We look forward to seeing you soon!