THE INTENSIVE

CAREER RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Our Career Residency Program (The Intensive) is a 4-6 month program that focuses on developing skills helpful for building a career in ceramics.

Program Details:

Eight artists are accepted into the program and are given full access to the studio. In exchange, they're required to attend at least one class per week and complete assignments.

The class time is subject to change based on the availability of the chosen group and facility. The chosen time will likely be either morning, afternoon, or evening on a weekday.

The residency program and classes are co-facilitated by Sean Kelly (owner) and Amanda Salov (manager) with the aid of Jade Aldridge and Henry Singer.

We also host a post-intensive exhibition to showcase participants and give them experience putting together a professional body of work. This exhibit and the final 2 months are optional, but highly encouraged.

We are committed to adjusting the program if needed to fit with the needs of intensive participants on an individual basis. Our goal is to help emerging artists grow and meet their goals!

The program is constantly changing and adapting to the needs of the community. Our current outline is fairly accurate for Fall 2025 and Summer 2026. Following programs are subject to adaptation.

The following slides outline the differences between our Summer (April - September) program and our Fall (Oct - Dec) program.

EXPECTATIONS

One of the goals of this program is to stimulate the community with a variety of people and energies. You are expected to be a beneficial member of the community and someone whose presence adds, not detracts, from a positive community atmosphere.

Participation in classes and assignments. Absences are allowed, but failure to communicate or willingly participate respectfully will result in asking you to leave the program.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for our Summer 2026 program are open.

The deadline to apply is January 4th.

The application is comprised of the following parts:

Five photos of your ceramic work.
Resume/CV
One reference
Personal statement -
- 400 - 500 words
- Tell us about your ceramics experience.
- Why are you interested in exploring a career in ceramics and what might that career look like for you?
- What do you hope to gain from this program?
- What steps have you already taken towards this goal?

Apply Here

How are applicants evaluated?

We want to provide some insight and tips about what we look for in an applicant and how we evaluate whether or not we think that someone will be a good fit:

This isn't a job or even a college application, so things are a bit different. We are primarily looking at growth potential. Being an amazing artist or highly accomplished doesn't mean that you're a shoe-in. We need to be able to see room for growth too. On the other side, there is a minimum skill level that we feel is necessary to keep up with the pace of this program. And don't worry, if you're not quite there yet but you don't know it, apply anyway! We are happy to provide feedback and encourage you to apply again in the future.

We are also looking for proof that you're serious about a career in ceramics and have the drive to put in the work. If this is your 1st step towards that goal, that's okay, but it helps to see that you've already made efforts towards that goal in other ways.

Lastly, we aim to create a cohesive cohort, so some decisions may be based more towards how individuals fit within a larger group and less about their individual attributes.

FUNDING & DONATIONS

We have put a lot of thought into funding this program. This is an amazing opportunity, and at first glance, it makes sense for it to have a cost to attend. It does take studio resources to run the program after all.

However, we believe that charging for this program goes against it's mission.

During these six months, we want participants to be able to give it as much as they possibly can. To push your limits and grow in ways you've never imagined. We'd rather you be in the studio than working extra hours to afford being in the studio. We also want this program to be accessible to anyone, not just those who can already afford it.

We also understand that it costs money to support yourself while participating, that is why we have packed so much into four months.

Support for this program comes from The Center for Community Ceramics. A Seattle based non-profit aimed at increasing accessibility to the arts and community impact.

Donate Here