KANSAS CITY, Mo — Over the years, KC Clay Guild has provided a space for artists of all backgrounds, housing the tools needed to create pottery.
Now, KC Clay Guild is looking for help raising money for a new home after outgrowing the community art center's current space.
“After you graduate, you probably have a hardship to make a living, and it's hard to spend money on materials," said Huey Lee, instructor at KC Clay Guild.
Lee was born in South Korea and has been featured in exhibitions and venues both nationally and internationally. He said KC Clay Guild has been vital in helping him and other artists succeed.
“Once we have a new community space, more people [can] unleash their creative journey more than now," Lee said.
KC Clay Guild's current home is a 4800-square-foot space in Waldo. Inside, it houses educational programming, private lessons and a gallery filled with one-of-a-kind items.
Louis Reilly, studio director, said the art center's popularity shot up following COVID-19.
"We've gotten more and more organized, we've added more shelving, we've optimized every inch of this building, and it's just not enough, which is a good thing," Reilly said. "People are engaged in ceramics, especially after COVID — it's become just an extremely popular hobby."
KC Clay Guild's goal is to raise $750,000 and acquire a new building so the center can expand its reach and continue investing in local art.
Donations can be made on KC Clay Guild's website.
