ADOPT A POTTER TRUST
Applications Guidance

The trust is inviting applications from students seeking funding of £80.00 per week for one year to enable them to apprentice with an established, practicing potter. Initially, funding is limited to applications from both apprentices and potters within the UK. (We are hoping to extend this to overseas applications in the near future).
Adopt a Potter Trust was set up to help secure the future of studio pottery by funding apprenticeships thus enabling students to work alongside a master potter. It is hoped that an apprentice will learn and develop some of the necessary skills required to establish their own career and business.
We realise that one year is a relatively short period of time, however, with the current funds available, the trust will only be offering one-year apprenticeship in the first instance.
Therefore, we feel it is important to emphasise that we require a high degree of commitment and competence from applicants in order that they make a realistic contribution in their new position. It is hoped that both the apprentice and the host potter will benefit from the arrangement but it is the apprentice who should gain most from this focused experience. Much of what you will learn may not be directly taught, but will be learnt by example and observation of good practices from a professional potter.
The trust feels that a more mutually successful placement will result if students approach potters whose work they admire and form an agreement between them to apply to the scheme.

Before approaching your chosen potter, consider what you can offer…

• Help with day to day workshop chores; eg) glaze mixing, kiln packing, clay preparation, cleaning and help with packing for exhibitions and shows, dealing with customers.
• Help with the production of the potter's standard range.
• Help with the sales at shows and exhibitions

Things you will need to ask when approaching your potter for an apprenticeship

• Whether or not any accommodation will be available, and if any contribution is required If not, the availability of inexpensive accommodation locally if your home is too far away to make travel each day realistic.
• Whether or not it would be possible to have access to the workshop to make your own work after the working day?
• Whether or not you might be able to make part of the potter's standard range of pots.
• Any other benefits in kind, i.e. materials, subsistence when away at exhibitions etc.

If you need any guidance regarding the apprenticeship in general, you can contact Yo Thom by emailing to yothom@mac.com
Please mark (as subject) as ADOPT A POTTER ENQUIRY when you email.