Community Outreach Programs

Sharing access to clay arts with the Chattanooga community

Our Why

SCCA is committed to spreading the art and craft of clay through education and outreach activities to audiences who may not otherwise get to experience clay arts and all its benefits.

Outreach Programs bring clay directly into schools, senior centers, and underserved neighborhoods - because geography or income should never stand in the way of creativity.⁠ Check out some of our past community partners below.

Community Outreach Partners

  • Group of elderly people gathered around a table inside a community room, engaged in playing a game. There are flags and stacked chairs in the background, with large windows showing trees outside.

    Abide Respite Ministry

  • A young boy with dreadlocks holding a carved piece of clay with a face and other designs. A boy in a black shirt is beside him and other children are in the background in a room with a table, chairs, and a window.

    Alpha and Omega Outreach, Inc.

  • A woman wearing a purple T-shirt and pink shorts holding a heart-shaped rock with a green fern leaf on it, standing against a wooden wall.

    AIM Center

  • Close-up of a person working on a craft project with clay, using tools, on a table covered with newspapers. The person's hands are handling a small piece of clay, wearing a black beaded bracelet and a smartwatch. Various clay pieces, paint pots, and craft tools are scattered on the table.

    Austin Hatcher Foundation

  • Children sitting around a table with white paper and clay, engaging in an art activity in a classroom.

    Avondale School

  • A classroom with young students posing for a group photo. Children are smiling and sitting or standing on the floor in front of a whiteboard and bookshelves, with colorful decorations and educational posters on the walls.

    Battle Academy

  • Two children are at a table covered with newspapers, painting small objects. One child is sitting and focused on painting, while the other is standing, holding a painted item, and looking at it. Art supplies such as paint palettes, brushes, and paper are scattered on the table.

    The Bethlehem Center

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters

    Big Brothers Big Sisters

  • Two women sitting at a table making pottery with clay. One woman is smiling, wearing a black jacket, and the other is wearing a white headscarf and blouse.

    Bridge Refugees

  • Central High School

  • Two women working on ceramic pottery projects at a table covered with newspapers, tools, and clay, with a window and door in the background.

    Chambliss Center for Children

  • Chattanooga Sports Ministries (CSM)

  • A young girl with blonde hair, wearing a pink and black shirt, is painting a small clay sculpture on a table covered with newspapers. An adult's arm and another child's hand are visible nearby.

    Chickamauga Public Library

  • Two women working with clay at a table. One woman in a purple top and glasses, and the other woman in a beige top, sitting in a ceramics or pottery studio.

    CrossPlains Community Partner

  • A woman with wavy dark hair smiling and a young boy with short brown hair looking to the side, sitting indoors with bright ceiling lights.

    Downside Up

  • Group of young people sitting at tables in ceramics studio, working on clay pottery and sculptures, with shelves of pottery supplies and finished pieces in the background.

    East Lake Expression Engine

  • Two young girls with dark hair and brown skin are at a table covered with clay. They are holding hands covered in clay and smiling at the camera. One girl wears a black jacket and the other a pink sweater. In the background, there are other people at tables in an outdoor pavilion, with trees and a house visible outside.

    East Lake Park Art Play Day

  • Young girl with beaded hair and colorful bracelets holding a clay bowl, at a pottery or craft store, with pottery molds and supplies in the background.

    First Centenary United Methodist Church

  • Two smiling women standing behind a table with a clear plastic container holding small clay pots, in an indoor setting with yellow walls, a colorful sunflower artwork, and a red popcorn cart in the background.

    Focus Treatment Centers

  • Girls Inc Chattanooga

    Girls Inc.

  • A group of diverse people participating in a pottery class, shaping clay on tables inside a workshop. Some are sitting, and some are standing, with various pottery pieces and tools on the tables.

    Hamilton County Coalition

  • Two children at a table outdoors with pottery and tools. The girl on the right is wearing a pink shirt and the girl on the left is wearing a hat.

    Hispanic Heritage Festival

  • Woman uses tool on her clay piece

    La Paz

  • Children sitting at tables, engaged in pottery activities, with decorations and a

    Net Resource Foundation

  • Children and adults engaging in a pottery or clay modeling activity at a table, with finished clay creations, tools, and supplies visible.

    Northside Neighborhood House

  • Children and adults participating in a pottery making activity in a community center or classroom setting, with clay and water on the table.

    Reach One, Teach One

  • Safehaven

  • Children and an adult engaging in a clay modeling activity at a table covered with newspapers. The children are shaping clay into various forms, and there are clay tools and blocks on the table.

    Sale Creek Middle School

  • Two young girls sit at a table covered with a red tablecloth, holding and examining wooden objects, in a room with colorful wall art and tables stacked in the background.

    Shepherd Community Center

  • A group of women at a craft event, working on clay pottery and sculptures at a table covered with a blue cloth, with a wood-paneled shelter in the background.

    Silvertree Seniors Chattanooga

  • A school assembly with students sitting on benches and listening to a woman speaking on stage. A projector screen displays colorful book covers, and teachers are present near the stage. The school gymnasium has purple and white walls with a red stage curtain.

    Soddy Daisy Public Library

  • Young girl holds up clay creation and smiles

    South Chattanooga Rec Center

  • Tucker Baptist Church

  • Girl smiles with clay creation in her hands

    Urban League of Greater Chattanooga

  • Urban League LEAPs Camp

  • Children making clay pottery in a workshop with brick walls and shelves in the background.

    UTC Angels

  • Group of boys work side-by-side on clay projects

    YCAP

  • A group of children and two adults posing for a photo indoors against a plain wall, sitting and kneeling on the floor and benches, smiling and looking at the camera.

    Young Ladies of Power

“We had a group of middle school girls take a lesson at the studio. The girls got to use the potter’s wheels and make bowls, mugs, and cups. A couple of weeks later when I gave them their finished pottery, one girl looked at her finished bowl in awe and said, "I made this? Wait, I really made this? This is mine?"

She could not believe that she really had made that bowl and that it was hers. It was so sweet to see her excitement and pride as she realized what she made.”

— Girls Inc. of Chattanooga

Two elderly individuals sitting at a table in a workshop, painting ceramic objects. The table is covered with various cans of paint in multiple colors, and the background features shelves with clay, pottery, and art supplies for their art classes.

Sharing access to all things clay

  • To show our gratitude to those who have served our country, SCCA is honored to offer FREE bi-monthly clay handbuilding workshops, available for active duty, retired, or former US military individuals and their family members.

    Military Family Workshops offer moments of grounding, healing, and quality time to those who give so much. Clay becomes a tool for reconnection.⁠

    This workshop series is made possible through Arts Access funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding is provided be the George R. Johnson Family Foundation and ArtsBuild.

    Sign up for the next Military Family Workshop on our Class page.

  • Our Queer Community Clay Nights create a safe, joyful space where LGBTQIA+ makers can explore identity, artistry, and connection.

    SCCA is honored to offer monthly clay workshops to the Chattanooga queer community. This workshop series is made possible by our generous sponsors at The Landing Cooperative.

    Sign up for the next Queer Community Clay Night on our Class page.

  • We’re excited to be part of Imagine! during the 2025–2026 school year!

    Through this ArtsBuild program, Scenic City Clay Arts is bringing hands-on clay arts instruction directly into Hamilton County 4th grade classrooms. Students are exploring clay not just as an art material, but as a science story—learning what clay is, where it comes from, and how it transforms through the clay-making and firing process. 

    The Imagine! Program, created by ArtsBuild, introduces elementary students to the arts through in-school experiences that enhance classroom learning and align with state education standards. By connecting creativity with core subjects, the program supports the creative process while strengthening students’ academic skills.

    Huge thanks to ArtsBuild for funding this program and making it possible for us to bring meaningful clay arts outreach into local schools—right where students are already learning every day.

  • In partnership with The United Way of Greater Chattanooga, SCCA is honored to offer family pottery workshops at La Paz! These classes are free and open to all ages. This series is offered from Fall 2026-Spring 2027.

    This program is made possible by The United Way of Greater Chattanooga through the Catalyst Fund.

  • Hamilton County Visual Arts Teachers are welcome to attend our quarterly Open Studios at SCCA! We want teachers to be able to play with clay in whatever way you want, while expanding their clay skills to bring back to their students at school. Teachers are able to make examples for art classes, make personal pieces, or collaborate with fellow teachers to build community connections.

    Sign up for the next open studio session on our Class page.

  • The Clay Makers’ Collective (CMC) is an unique opportunity designed to provide individuals from diverse backgrounds, including people of color, individuals of different gender expressions, and those from various walks of life, with the chance to explore the art of ceramics firsthand. This program is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, equity, and creativity within the vibrant world of pottery and specifically at Scenic City Clay Arts.

    Through this program, participants are given an opportunity to receive a well-rounded ceramic education through a series of classes, as well as be able to participate in our member community studio and an exhibit to showcase the beautiful work they have created.

    Learn more about the Clay Makers’ Collective here.

    This program and exhibit was made possible by ArtsBuild & the George R. Johnson Family Foundation.

  • In Summer and Fall 2026, SCCA partnered with South Chattanooga Community Center and Shepherd Community Center to offer free clay workshops for youth and teens as part of their summer programming. Students explored handbuilding techniques like coil and pinch pots, creating pieces that showcased their individual creativity and imagination.

    The resulting work was displayed in exhibits at both community centers, celebrating the young artists and the connections they built through clay. Together, these pieces highlight the power of creativity, self-expression, collaboration, and community.

    This program is made possible by the ArtsBuild Artists Work in Partnership grant and the National Endowment for the Arts. The ArtsBuild Artists Work in Partnership grant program is providing project funding to non-profit organizations in partnership with an artist or group of artists to produce artworks that conclude with an exhibit or performance within Hamilton County, TN.

George R. Johnson
Family Foundation

Our ultimate goal is to get clay into the hands of anyone who wants to experience it.

Support our community and mission by donating to SCCA. With your gift, SCCA can bring clay arts to our most underserved communities, promote the healing power of clay, and provide a hands-on, creative outlet.

Donate to SCCA

Get in touch.

Interested in partnering with us for your organization’s special programming? We work with children and adults of all ages to help them experience the joy of clay! Contact us to set up your class or workshop.

Please complete the form below to request a workshop, and a member of our staff will be in touch within 5-7 business days to schedule it if possible. Please note that programs are available based on staff and instructor bandwidth and availability.

Please allow for at least a 2-week lead time for program planning and scheduling purposes.