Update from the Director 27.4.2020

Having been closed for just over a month, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all personally for your support for the Leach Pottery. You – our community both locally and internationally – give us the confidence to drive forward our ambitions for the Leach Pottery and our future.

We want to ensure that, despite the challenging circumstances of Covid-19, the Leach Pottery continues to be a place of excellence for studio pottery, learning for the wider community, and a hub for artists and makers of diverse creative disciplines to draw inspiration.

Leach 100 Programme

2020 is the year we were scheduled to celebrate our centenary with a full variety of events, exhibitions, activities and workshops. It is with great sadness that after so much careful planning and excitement our programme for this year has been postponed. However, please be assured that we are continuing to work hard in the re-imagining of our planned celebrations.

As we are all experiencing the developing situation, it is hard to know when we will be back up and running on-site but we will certainly keep you posted.

Loss of Income

Following government guidelines, the Shop, Museum, Studio and learning programme are all closed – as a result, we have lost nearly all our income. We had no choice but to furlough the majority of our staff and are now operating with a very small team. Thank you for your patience and understanding in our responses to your enquiries.

Opportunities to Engage

Over the coming weeks we will be bringing you a series of opportunities to get involved. This will include an online interactive exhibition Pottery & People that will collate your personal stories of your connections with the pottery that you have in your home. There will also be some how-to activities for you to try at home, and access to fascinating footage from the Mingei Film Archive.

If you are booked on to a course with us please be assured that we are reviewing this two months ahead of the scheduled course month, so you have as much notice as possible and to minimise the number we have to cancel.

Support: Gift Vouchers & Membership

Now more than ever our museums, galleries, artistic and creative hubs are grateful for support from their community. If you wanted to support us our gift vouchers and new digital gift cards are available to be purchased online: https://www.leachpottery.com/gift-voucher – for someone special or perhaps as a promise to treat yourself when we all come through the other side of this.

Our Membership is also available to purchase online:
(https://www.leachpottery.com/membership-and-passes). Donations can also be made here: https://www.leachpottery.com/donations-support-us

Creativity Can Triumph

Having been the Director of the Leach Pottery for nearly four years, I have found it a huge privilege to be part of such a creative and vibrant place, surrounded by unique and talented individuals. Unsurprisingly over the last few years I have built quite a varied collection of pottery that I use every day. As I work from home in the current crisis, I find it heartening being surrounded by these objects that offer a physical connection to the Leach Pottery and the people I work with.

What lies ahead for so many of us can at times feel daunting and I don’t doubt there will be a real change for the Pottery but out of the most difficult times and circumstances, creativity can triumph.

We look forward to seeing stories of your favourite pottery and thank you for your continuing support in bringing clay to life.

With very best wishes,

Libby Buckley
Director