The Claymobile is an award winning mobile ceramic art program that partners with schools, community based organizations and social service agencies in the greater Philadelphia region to bring hands-on art education to some of the region's most underserved communities. Staffed by artists with expertise in ceramics and experience teaching in diverse settings, the Claymobile van contains all of the equipment and materials needed for a ceramics class and is also outfitted to transport the finished pieces back to Claymobile Support Center in the Crane Arts Building for firing. The program provides an inexpensive way of adding ceramics to educational and cultural programs, by sparing host institutions the cost of obtaining the expensive equipment needed to produce ceramics. Classes are not held in van, but rather in spaces provided by the host.
Read more about our mission and history!
About the Program
The Claymobile program runs year round. Most class sessions fit into four terms, summer, fall, winter and spring, while several sites run year-round. Classes meet once a week for 90-minutes, for a minimum of six week residencies, providing a rich experience, exposing students to varied techniques and giving them a chance to master skills. The host site is responsible for providing a space for the class, an invested teacher or staff person to participate, water for clean up and lots of enthusiasm.Claymobile teaching artists collaborate with host staff to design projects that directly tie into classroom curriculum and/or organization-wide themes, ensuring a fun and academically enriching experience for the students. Claymobile projects fulfill Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities and can be expanded to meet Standards in other states or disciplines with the cooperation of the classroom teacher.
Support the Claymobile!
Generous support from foundations, corporations, government and individuals allows The Clay Studio to offer the program at the lowest cost possible. Some potential hosts are able to provide only minimal or no support towards the program. The Clay Studio believes that the populations served by these organizations benefit most from expanded arts educational opportunities, for they are often the least served. You too can support the Claymobile and other Clay Studio programs through a donation or membership, or, for more information, contact Development Director, Christina Edleman, at 215.925.3453 ext.13 or christina@theclaystudio.org.For more information
If you are interested in hosting the Claymobile, please contact:
Annette Monnier
Outreach Coordinator
annette@theclaystudio.org
215.925.3453 ext.15
