Throughout the state there is a high interest in arts opportunities, especially regarding pottery. However, there are not a lot of pottery classes, studios, or workshops available throughout the many counties of Kentucky, let alone ones that are affordable. The stakeholders of Kentucky Cooperative Extension would greatly benefit from pottery-focused programming. 

To start providing programming for our stakeholders, UK Community Arts Extension personnel partnered with the KSU (Kentucky State University) Community Arts Extension Agent to create a Pottery focus group. This group worked together to develop and implement a full day of training for all Community Arts Extension agents and assistants. This training covered a variety of topics regarding making pottery, providing the fundamental information needed to know what pottery entails, and how to develop a pottery program for their respective stakeholders. This training was called Community Arts Spring Updates in KERS, and unofficially titled the Community Arts Pottery Throwdown. 

The Community Arts Pottery Throwdown went over the following topics: how to wedge and recycle clay, how to center clay on a pottery wheel, how to hollow out the vessel while throwing, and other tips related to creating a functional form on a pottery wheel. Continuing, it covered methods of attaching clay pieces together, as well as glazing techniques, and the basics of kiln operation were also covered. Lastly, firing clay alternatives were discussed and demonstrated, to provide an option for those who do not have the space or funding to buy heavy duty equipment to start their pottery program in a more beginner-friendly and economic matter. 

As a result of this training, 87.5% of participants reported having increased their overall confidence in using clay as an expressive art medium, as well as increased confidence in structuring/planning a pottery workshop, based on survey results. In addition, 75% of participants reported an increase in confidence leading/presenting a pottery workshop, centering clay on a wheel, throwing a clay form on a wheel, trimming a clay vessel, and slip and score techniques.