About
Inclusive Clay was founded in Pottstown, Pennsylvania by ceramic artist Kristin Bispels, who is the mother of an adult daughter with intellectual disabilities. The program evolved from an informal group called Pottery Friends — meeting weekly in Bispels' basement studio — into a formal organization connecting adults with intellectual disabilities to community ceramics studios alongside their peers.
What It Does
Inclusive Clay runs pottery sessions at ArtFusion and partner community ceramic studios, teaching hand-building techniques including slab building, coiling, pinching, surface treatments, and glazing. Participants are accompanied by a support person throughout each session, with the program emphasizing persistence, problem-solving, and creative resilience alongside technical skills.
Who It Helps
Adults with intellectual disabilities in Pennsylvania who are enrolled in the ODP-HCBS Medicaid waiver program and want to participate in community ceramics studios as active, creative participants alongside their peers.