About Us
OUR MISSION
At the heart of CUP Ceramics Community is a drive for social, economic and environmental sustainability. We provide space and facilities for Herefordshire communities to develop practical skills and gain therapeutic benefits through creating ceramics.
For a very reasonable monthly fee, members will have access to excellent quality kilns, wheels, hand building equipment, glazes and advice from mentors and technicians. We create opportunities for members to sell their products, share knowledge and experiences in an inclusive artistic community.
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Short and long pottery courses run regularly gaining potters of all abilities the skills necessary to start or progress your journey with clay.
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CUP is a social enterprise so we listen to our community and focus our profits towards the community. We endeavour to provide access to making for all through our community access sessions, outreach work and online courses. CUP seeks environmental sustainability, so energy sources and features of our business always look to have the minimum impact on the environment.
ACCESS FOR ALL
As a Community Interest company we keep our membership prices as low as possible. We are proud to have some of the lowest studio membership prices in the UK but we understand that this may still more than some can afford. Our mission is to provide access to making for all and in order to achieve this we also have provided alternative plans to cater for all:
CLAY CONCESSIONS PLAN
If you are a student, rely on benefits for your income or are on Universal credit we provide all of our membership plans and a fifth of our course intake at a 15% discount. (Proof required)
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TIME EXCHANGE PLAN
If you are studying ceramics or have experience and knowledge about working with clay then you can take up a time exchange placement. Instead of paying a membership fee, you give your time working in the studio in return for studio access and kiln firing.
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Get in touch for further details info@cupceramics.com
OUR FACILITIES
CUP offers a unique service of access to excellent facilities, storage, mentoring and courses; details of which are listed below. With any membership plan you get your own personal storage shelf (approx. 90cmx45cmx45cm), advice and mentoring from our staff, use of equipment and up to 25 litres a month set temperature firings. The only additional thing you need to buy is clay, which we sell on-site at bulk prices.
CLAY
Only clay purchased from CUP can be used on the premises for quality control reasons. We aim to make clay as affordable as possible by buying in bulk and transferring this benefit to our members. This allows us to sustainably recycle our own clay in house and offer it to members for very cheap rates.
GLAZES
We have a well stocked glaze room and technician on site, we have a rotating variety of our own house glazes, and you may bring your own glazes in to fire so long as they have been checked for safety with one of our technicians.
TABLE WORK
Two large making tables provide ample surface area for our members to hand build on.
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THROWING
We have excellent wheels available to members and classes in our throwing area.
HANDBUILDING
We have an excellent quality slab roller for members interested in slab building, and a wide range of tools.
FIRING
Two large top loading kilns are be available for regular standard firings of 950 degrees celsius for bisque and 1240 for glaze. Members may also hire a full kiln firing on request.
FIND US
Find us at CUP Ceramics CIC, Unit 10 Foley Trading Estate, Hereford, HR1 2SF
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Access via Eign Mill Road only, Foley Street is not a through street.
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We are a fifteen minute walk from the centre of Hereford, and twenty minutes from the train station.
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Find us using What3Words:
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Coffee House and Gallery: doll.hush.cowboy
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CUP Studio:
bags.oasis.basket
Travel
We encourage our visitors to travel by public transport, walk, or cycle (We have a bike rack, or the nearest Beryl bike stand is at the junction of Eign Road and Ledbury Road, a five minute walk).
We have on site parking, however due to the nature of the trading estate, getting a space can be difficult!
