Prague's Growing Pottery Scene
Over the past decade, Prague has developed a lively ceramics community. What was once a craft practised mainly in art schools and traditional workshops has expanded into a broader cultural movement, with studios opening in residential neighbourhoods, pop-up workshops appearing at markets and festivals, and an increasing number of people taking up pottery as a serious hobby.
The reasons are not hard to understand. Pottery is tactile, creative, and deeply satisfying in a way that screen-based activities simply cannot replicate. It also has a social dimension — most workshops are small-group sessions, and the shared experience of struggling with clay creates an easy camaraderie among participants.
What to Expect at a Beginner Pottery Class
If you have never worked with clay before, your first session will likely involve both wheel-throwing and hand-building techniques. Most Prague studios structure their beginner workshops as follows:
- Introduction to clay — understanding the material, how it behaves, and what affects its workability.
- Wedging — preparing the clay by kneading out air bubbles. This takes more effort than it looks.
- Centring on the wheel — the most technically challenging part for beginners. Getting the clay centred and stable is the foundation of everything that follows.
- Opening and pulling — creating the hollow interior and raising the walls of your vessel.
- Shaping and finishing — refining the form and cutting the piece from the wheel.
Your first pieces will almost certainly collapse, lean, or end up thicker than intended. This is completely normal. Most instructors are encouraging and will help you understand what went wrong and how to correct it next time.
Choosing the Right Workshop
Prague has a range of pottery studios, from large commercial operations with many wheels to small, intimate ateliers run by individual potters. The right choice depends on what you are looking for:
For a single taster session
If you want to try pottery once without committing to a course, look for studios offering one-off workshops of two to three hours. These are widely available and typically include all materials, use of the wheel, and basic instruction. Prices in Prague generally range from 700–1,200 CZK per person.
For a structured course
If you want to develop real skill, a multi-session course is far more valuable than a series of one-off workshops. Look for courses of at least six sessions, which give you enough time to progress through the basics and start developing a feel for the material. Many Prague studios offer evening courses of 8–12 sessions, typically running over two to three months.
For English-language instruction
Prague's expat community has driven demand for English-language pottery classes, and most larger studios now offer at least some sessions in English. It is worth confirming this when booking, particularly for more technical instruction where language precision matters.
The Czech Pottery Tradition
Pottery has deep roots in Czech culture. The town of Beroun, about 30 kilometres southwest of Prague, hosts one of the country's most celebrated pottery fairs — the Hrnčířské trhy Beroun — which draws potters and ceramics enthusiasts from across Central Europe. The fair has been running for decades and remains a genuine showcase of traditional and contemporary Czech ceramics.
Traditional Czech pottery is characterised by earthy glazes, practical forms, and a directness of decoration that reflects its folk origins. Contemporary Czech potters often work in dialogue with these traditions, incorporating historical motifs and techniques into modern forms.
The ULUV Centre for Folk Art Production maintains a registry of certified Czech pottery makers and can help you find traditional potters working in specific regional styles.
Hand-Building: An Alternative to the Wheel
Not everyone takes to wheel-throwing immediately, and some people find hand-building more satisfying. The main hand-building techniques — pinching, coiling, and slab construction — are taught in most Prague workshops and are genuinely accessible to complete beginners.
Pinching is the simplest: you start with a ball of clay and gradually work it into a vessel using your thumbs and fingers. Coiling involves building up walls from long rolls of clay, which are then smoothed together. Slab construction uses flat sheets of clay cut and joined to create geometric forms.
Hand-building is also more forgiving in terms of time — you can work more slowly and return to a piece across multiple sessions, whereas wheel-throwing requires a certain momentum to be effective.
Taking Your Work Home
One of the practical questions beginners often have is what happens to the pieces they make. Most Prague workshops include firing in the price of the class — your pieces will be bisque-fired and, if you choose to glaze them, glaze-fired as well. This typically takes one to two weeks, after which you collect your finished work.
Some studios also offer the option of painting or glazing your pieces in a follow-up session, which is a satisfying way to complete the process and gives you more control over the final appearance.
Beyond Prague: Pottery in Brno and Beyond
Prague is not the only city with a strong pottery scene. Brno, the Czech Republic's second city, has several excellent ceramic studios and a lively craft community. The city's art school tradition — Brno has a strong design and applied arts heritage — feeds into a culture of serious, technically accomplished pottery.
Smaller towns and rural areas also offer interesting pottery experiences. Several traditional potteries in Moravia and southern Bohemia welcome visitors and offer informal demonstrations. These are often more authentic experiences than urban workshops, though they may require more effort to find and arrange.
Practical Tips for Your First Session
- Wear clothes you do not mind getting dirty. Clay is remarkably persistent and will end up on your clothes, arms, and possibly your face.
- Remove rings and bracelets before working — they will interfere with your hand movements and can damage the clay.
- Do not rush the centring stage. Most beginners want to move on to shaping too quickly. Spend as long as you need getting the clay centred and stable.
- Use water sparingly. It is tempting to add lots of water to make the clay slippery, but too much water weakens the clay and makes it harder to control.
- Ask questions. Czech pottery instructors are generally very willing to help — do not hesitate to ask for a demonstration or clarification.