sebarts ceramics residency

Sebastopol Center for the Arts (SebArts) is a dynamic, community-funded arts organization in Sonoma County, California, that annually engages 10,000+ visitors through gallery exhibitions, documentary film festival, literary arts programming, choir, youth and adult education, ceramics program, special events and two open studios programs.

Our dynamic ceramics department is at the heart of our community art center - affectionately dubbed “the Clayground” - featuring artists from around the County who use the ceramics studio for open studio time, to attend classes, and to join together in community.

Sebastopol Center for the Arts Ceramics Artist in Residence program is designed to invite exceptional ceramicists to experiment with themes and ideas in a self-directed setting.

This 6-week residency program offers the space to create a cohesive body of work in a collaborative community. In addition to opportunities to lead two classes or workshops, artist talk, and opportunity to support emerging artists in the Incubator program, the program culminates with a gallery exhibition at the end of the residency period.

SETTING and FACILITY:

Sebastopol shares the peaceful nature of Northern California free-thinking culture, a little more than an hour from San Francisco, Sebastopol is a quiet but vibrant community. SebArts' Ceramics department has three electric kilns and two gas kilns (one raku) with options for soda, wood and pit firings in the area (weather permitting). We have indoor and outdoor space with ten electric wheels and a large slab roller, as well as an extensive library of chemicals. The facility fires over 2,000lbs of clay per month. Residents will be provided with 200lb of clay to work with. The resident artist will be expected to spend 30 hours per week in a shared studio with up to 20 dedicated artists and 100 revolving student/general users.

WORK:

The Artist in Residence is expected to be in the studio for 30 hours per week. Artist will also be expected to teach two workshops, one lecture and attend one donor event over the course of the six-week residency, as well as serve as a mentor to Incubator artists, if the programs are overlapping.

Residency dates: April 1-May 15, 2026