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GET FIRED UP WITH THESE ARTIST KILNS IN LONDON

As if ceramics were not already popular enough, Channel 4’s The Great Pottery Throw Down has created a frenzy for the art.
The tricky thing about the rise in the number of people delving into ceramics is that all those individuals need to fire their ceramics, and space is limited.
To help matters we have put together a concise list of artist kilns in London, which includes a medley of kilns that offer artist studio spaces or one-off bookings.

Artist kilns in London

Despite an obvious demand for kilns, studios with the ability to fire ceramics are few and far between in the capital. We found just a handful of kilns and a couple of firing services.

London Sculpture Workshop at Thames-Side Studios, Greenwich

To hire a kiln at the London Sculpture Workshop you need to be a member, which is available from £50 per year. Once you’re a member, you can book the kiln for £24.50 per 3.5-hour session at the time of writing, which is fantastic if you need to be mindful of your expenditure and do not need a studio space that you can access every day.

Find out more: www.londonsculptureworkshop.org/book-a-kiln

Clay Kiln Craft, Crystal Palace

If you are looking for an open access studio, Clay Kiln Craft in Crystal Palace is an excellent choice. You can access the studio for 18 hours a week from £165 per month at the time of writing, which is not only affordable but also offers flexibility. It is also one of the few providers of artist kilns in London.

As a member of Clay Kiln Craft, you can access the plethora of equipment and tools available, as well as a large selection of glazes at no extra cost. There is also no limit of firings here, which is rare for an open access offering.

Find out more: www.claykilncraft.com

Studio Pottery London, Victoria

This pottery studio for experienced ceramicists is set in the heart of Victoria. You must be a member to access the kiln. As a member you will be given access to the studio, its facilities, and a qualified technician during working hours. Members are only permitted to use the studio up to 18 hours a week, which helps to ensure everyone can access the equipment and facilities.

Membership starts at £290 per month at the time of writing.

Find out more: www.studio-pottery-london.com/members

Alternatives

Most of the artist kilns in London work on a membership basis and they are not always open to new members, in which case you will need to look elsewhere.

Alternatives to firing your own ceramics is using a firing service. Ceramics Studio Co-op in New Cross charge per kiln - the smallest is 22 x 32 cm and the largest 73 x 68 cm. Prices start at £18 per fire at the time of writing.

The other option is to find an artist who has their own kiln as they may be happy for you to hire it or be willing to fire something for you. We recommend asking friends and sharing your requirements on social media.

There you have it – our list of artist kilns in London. Happy firing!