Social Clay Pottery Festival 2024

Social Clay returns for its third iteration. Join us for a three day collaborative gathering of people using clay and crafts in a political, educational and social way. 

Since we established The Farmer’s Arms Workshops, we’ve been working to foster collaborations, ideas and discussions to help folks from all walks of life develop networks and provide a space for them to make. Social Clay is an informal celebration of what has been established to date and a chance for us to meet other people doing interesting things, to learn, exchange and collaborate. Get involved!

The Farmer’s Arms isn’t just about pottery! We do woodwork, textiles and of course lots of good grub, fine food, baking, preserving and horticulture. So if you’re working somewhere in between any or all of these things, but you’re thinking beyond the product, then this festival is for you!

Join us for the weekend:

£35 Weekend Ticket will get you exclusive first come first served access to two of the amazing workshops happening over the weekend plus camping in our fields and 10% off all food in the pub and cafe.

Discount for students studying within the field of arts and craft

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME: 

Friday 13th September

16:00 TOUR OF THE FARMERS ARMS

Grizedale Arts director Adam Sutherland hosts a tour of The Farmer’s Arms collection. The inn’s exhibitions focus on environmental and rural histories and culture and the legacy and influence of the deeply local on the wider world.

18:30 CHOPSTICK MAKING FOR DINNER

19:00 WELCOME DINNER- POT LUCK

Please bring your own tableware (anything you can eat out of or use to eat) Food will be offered communally and will require self service no plates or cutlery.

20:00 CEILIDH IN THE CAFE

Saturday 14th September

09:00 –WEDGEXERCISE WITH FRANCIS LLOYD JONES

10:00 –16:00 CRAFT AND DESIGN MARKET 

Craft and design market with stalls in our fields- open from 10-4 there will be local makers and social enterprises of people who work with clay.

10:00 –16:00 WORKSHOPS PROGRAMME

14:00 –16:00 CRAFT DEMONSTRATIONS

Specialist drop in workshops and demonstrations in:

• Pit firing — Bring your pre-fired pots and join in with the firing process with Bruno Schooling
• Throwing — Drop in tuition throughout the day with Francis Lloyd Jones
• Raku Kiln Firing — Our raku kiln will be cranked up and burning hot so make the most of it and bring your own pots along!
• Tonne of Clay- Get to grips with a tonne of clay!
• Salt Firing Demonstration
• Smoke Firing Demo — Bring your fired pots along or make some in advance in our workshop
• Mocha Ware Demo — Try out this traditional pub ware ceramic techniques
• Kōgō incense boxes with Rosie Mclachlan

20:00 FILM SCREENING: Working Man’s Death

20:00  Cod O Donnell live music in the Stable Bar

Sunday 15th September

8:00 WALK: Guided mushroom hunt and breakfast

9:00 WORKING BREAKFAST

11:00 TALK: A SOCIAL DESIGN- TAKESHI HAYATSU

12:30 THE PHOENIX BUFFET

From the ashes of the pit firing rises a lunch spread of ember baked potatoes, veggies and smoked herbs

2:30 FILM SCREENING: The Ballad of Narayama