CLAY LA Ceramic Marketplace at Craft Contemporary

CLAY LA opens at Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles from April 24 to 26, turning the museum into a weekend marketplace for local ceramic artists. (craftcontemporary.org) Craft Contemporary calls the 2026 edition the ninth CLAY LA and describes it as the museum’s signature ceramic marketplace and fundraiser. The museum is at 5814 Wilshire Blvd., and its regular public hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (craftcontemporary.org) The event starts with a Friday, April 24, preview night, followed by public marketplace days on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26. Craft Contemporary says the weekend includes ceramics sales, hands-on clay activities, refreshments during the preview, and music in the outdoor courtyard. (craftcontemporary.org) PBS SoCal included CLAY LA in its April 20-26 arts calendar for Southern California and described it as a chance to meet emerging and established makers from across Los Angeles. The listing directs visitors to the event page for the exact schedule. (pbssocal.org) The marketplace arrives as Craft Contemporary is using events as a major part of its public program alongside exhibitions. On its website, the museum says donations support exhibitions, educational programs and hands-on craft experiences. (craftcontemporary.org, craftcontemporary.org) That fundraising piece is central to CLAY LA’s format: visitors are not only shopping for functional ware and sculpture, but also supporting the museum that hosts the sale. Craft Contemporary says hundreds of artists have participated over the years and thousands of visitors have attended past editions. (craftcontemporary.org, fharstudio.com) Local coverage has framed this year’s edition as part of Los Angeles’ broader clay scene, with dozens of artisans showing work in one place. Beverly Press reported that the event returns this week with direct artist-to-buyer sales at the museum. (beverlypress.com) For visitors, the draw is simple: a museum fundraiser that also works like a temporary ceramics fair, with artists on site and work available to buy over one weekend. For Craft Contemporary, the ninth CLAY LA doubles as a public program and a revenue event before the museum returns to its regular exhibition schedule next week. (craftcontemporary.org, craftcontemporary.org)