CLAY LA ceramics marketplace at Craft Contemporary

Craft Contemporary’s CLAY LA returns to Los Angeles this weekend with a three-day ceramics market that doubles as a museum fundraiser. (craftcontemporary.org) The 2026 edition runs Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26, at Craft Contemporary, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., and the museum calls it the ninth year of the event. Friday’s preview night is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and costs $20 for the general public or $15 for members. (craftcontemporary.org) The main market opens Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with $9 museum admission, then continues Sunday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with pay-what-you-wish entry. Craft Contemporary says the weekend includes shopping, artist access and free drop-in air-dry clay activities from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. (craftcontemporary.org) The event is built around ceramics, the museum’s clay-focused programming that includes workshops, sales and exhibitions. Craft Contemporary says CLAY LA has drawn hundreds of artists and thousands of visitors over the years and points to its upcoming fourth clay biennial, “tierra,” as part of that broader program. (craftcontemporary.org) This year’s market brings together emerging and established ceramic artists from across Los Angeles, according to the museum and PBS SoCal’s weekly calendar. PBS SoCal listed CLAY LA among its picks for the week of April 20-26 and described the event as a chance to meet local makers in the museum’s outdoor courtyard. (pbssocal.org) Craft Contemporary’s vendor list includes more than two dozen names, among them Angel Prudencio, Chunmei Ceramics, Devin Devon Taaffe Pottery, Greg Lowe Arts, Hugh Remar Los Angeles, People’s Pottery Project, Sergio Noe Studio and Tierra del Sol. The museum says the market mixes sales with artist demos and hands-on activities rather than a standard retail booth setup. (craftcontemporary.org) Friday’s preview is also the event’s ticketed fundraising component. Craft Contemporary says preview-night guests get first access to shop, complimentary refreshments, music and one opportunity-drawing ticket at entry. (craftcontemporary.org) The opportunity drawing continues through the weekend with additional entries sold in person for $5 each. Craft Contemporary says drawings close daily, winners will be notified at the end of the event, and prize pickup must happen in person at the museum after winners are contacted on April 29. (craftcontemporary.org) For a city with a large studio-pottery scene and a steady calendar of art fairs, CLAY LA gives one museum a way to turn that audience into direct support for exhibitions and education programs. This weekend’s version keeps the pitch simple: buy a cup, bowl or sculpture, and the sale happens inside the institution that is using clay to bring people through the door. (craftcontemporary.org)