Pottery for Groups

Group Size

Private events have a 6-person minimum. Once your event is booked, your final headcount is subject to our cancellation policy. If fewer than 6 guests attend, the 6-person minimum still applies.

Larger groups may require additional instructors and/or a full studio rental depending on your group size and project.

Our studio can accommodate groups of up to approximately 22 guests with the appropriate staffing.

Have more than 22 people? Depending on your event, we may be able to bring the workshop to you.

Food + Drinks

You’re welcome to bring food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages for guests who are 21+.

If you plan to have food at your event, there is a $50 food fee to cover the additional cleanup afterward. We recommend finger foods, snacks, cake, or other things that are easy to eat while working with clay.

Your group or caterer is responsible for food setup. Studio Sumi does not provide food setup or serving service.

Plates, cups, napkins, utensils, serving ware, and other food or drink supplies are not provided, so please bring everything your group will need.

Just let us know ahead of time if you plan to bring food so we can plan accordingly.

Booking + Policies

Interested in hosting a private event with us? Fill out the inquiry form below and tell us a little about what you’re planning.

Once we receive your inquiry, we’ll confirm availability and work with you to finalize your date, time, project, and estimated group size.

A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your event. Your date and time are not officially reserved until the deposit has been paid.

Your final headcount is due 7 days before your event. Once confirmed, that is the number of guests we will prepare and charge for. If fewer guests attend, the confirmed headcount still applies. Private events have a 6-person minimum.

The remaining balance will be invoiced on the day of your event.

Cancellations + Rescheduling

All private event payments are non-refundable.

We understand that plans sometimes change, so your event may be rescheduled once with at least 7 days’ notice. Your new date is subject to studio availability.

Rescheduling requests made fewer than 7 days before your event are not guaranteed and may be treated as a cancellation.

No-shows and same-day cancellations are not eligible for a refund or reschedule.

If your group grows after your final headcount has been confirmed, please contact us before the event. Additional guests are subject to studio capacity, staffing, and material availability.

What Should We Bring?

Just yourselves!

We provide all clay, tools, materials, and aprons.

Clay can get a little messy, so we recommend wearing comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting a little dirty.

Arriving for Your Workshop

We recommend arriving a few minutes early so everyone can get settled and your workshop can begin on time.

Private events are scheduled for a specific time block. If your group arrives late, you’ll have less time to work, and we may not be able to extend your workshop past the scheduled end time.

What Happens After the Workshop?

Once everyone finishes their pieces, you get to leave the messy part to us.

Your pottery will dry, go through its first kiln firing, get glazed by our team in your selected glaze color, and then go through its final firing.

The full process generally takes around 3 to 4 weeks. We’ll email you as soon as everything is finished and ready for pickup.

Finished pottery must be picked up within 60 days of your pickup email. Due to limited studio storage, we cannot guarantee that pieces will be held after 60 days.

A Little Note About Handmade Ceramics

Part of the magic of ceramics is that every piece is completely unique.

Clay goes through several stages of drying, glazing, and high-temperature firing. Occasionally, pieces can crack, warp, break, or have unexpected glaze results during the process. Glaze colors and finishes can also vary from samples.

While we take great care with every piece, finished results and exact completion dates cannot be guaranteed. Studio Sumi is not able to replace or reimburse pieces that crack, break, warp, or otherwise have unexpected results during the normal ceramics process.

Parking + Getting Here

Studio Sumi is located at 5031 Geary Blvd in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond.

Metered street parking is available along Geary Blvd and surrounding streets. We recommend giving yourself a little extra time to find parking, especially for evening and weekend events.

Off-Site + Corporate Events

Planning something for a larger team or want us to bring the clay to you?

We offer select off-site workshops for corporate events, community events, and larger groups.

Pricing and staffing vary depending on your group size, location, project, and event setup. Include those details in your inquiry and we’ll put together a quote.

Looking for something a little different for your next birthday, team event, celebration, or just an excuse to get your favorite people together?

Private events at Studio Sumi are relaxed, hands-on pottery workshops where your group can slow down, get creative, and make something completely their own. No pottery experience needed! We’ll guide everyone through the project step by step.

Private workshops are available for adults and kids and are great for birthdays, team events, celebrations, friend gatherings, and more.

How It Works

Private workshops are typically 2 hours and start at $90/person, with a 6-person minimum.

Your workshop includes:

  • All clay and materials

  • Studio tools and aprons

  • Step-by-step instruction

  • Glazing by the Studio Sumi team

  • Both kiln firings

  • Your finished ceramic piece

Everything is beginner-friendly, so no pottery experience is needed.

Choose Your Project

Your group can choose from some of our favorite handbuilding projects, including:

  • Mugs

  • Vases

  • Pinch pots and bowls

  • Planters

  • Matcha bowls

  • Seasonal projects

  • Other projects inspired by workshops you’ve seen on our website

Have something specific in mind? Let us know! We’re happy to see if we can tailor a project to your group.

Because we prep clay, templates, tools, and materials ahead of time, everyone in the group will generally work on the same project, but there is plenty of room for each person to customize their piece and make it completely their own.

Studio Sumi is primarily a handbuilding studio, so private events do not include wheel throwing.

Ready to Plan Your Event?

Fill out the inquiry form below and tell us what you’re envisioning. We’ll get back to you with availability and next steps.

  • Description text goes here

  • Generally, yes. We prepare materials specifically for your group’s selected project ahead of time, but everyone will have plenty of freedom to personalize their piece.

  • Usually! If there’s a Studio Sumi workshop or project you love, include it in your inquiry and we’ll let you know if it works well for a private group.

  • Absolutely. We love tailoring workshops to the group when possible. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll see what we can do.

  • Your final headcount is due 7 days before your event. Once confirmed, we prepare and charge based on that number, even if fewer guests attend. The 6-person minimum always applies.

    If you need to add guests after that, reach out and we’ll let you know if we can accommodate them.

  • All payments are non-refundable. You may reschedule your event once with at least 7 days’ notice, subject to studio availability.

Private Event FAQ

  • Private group workshops focus on handbuilding rather than wheel throwing.

  • Yes! Guests who are 21+ are welcome to BYOB, and you’re welcome to bring food, snacks, or cake.

    There is a $50 food fee to cover additional cleanup. Your group handles food setup and provides any plates, cups, napkins, utensils, serving ware, or other supplies you’ll need.

  • Usually around 3 to 4 weeks after your event. We’ll email you as soon as everything is ready for pickup.

  • Absolutely. One person can pick up the entire group’s pieces, or guests can arrange to pick up individually.

  • We can accommodate up to approximately 22 guests in the studio, depending on the project and staffing needed. Larger groups may be a better fit for an off-site workshop.

  • Yes! We offer select off-site workshops for corporate and larger events. Tell us a little about your event in the inquiry form and we’ll let you know what’s possible.