Private Events & Workshops
Forma offers custom one-time pottery classes and clay workshops for groups, teams, and celebrations. Led by Forma instructors, these sessions provide guided instruction, all materials, and a supportive studio environment for beginners and returning makers alike.
Private events can be tailored for adults, kids and teens, or groups that include both children and adults. Options range from small private lessons to larger group workshops.
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Event Formats
All private events are instructor-led and designed to be clear, well-paced, and accessible. No prior experience is required.
Available formats include:
- Wheel throwing workshops
- Handbuilding workshops
- Youth and family events
- Team-building and workplace gatherings
- Birthdays and special celebrations
We’ll help you choose the right format based on your group size, ages, and goals.
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Wheel Throwing
Wheel-throwing events introduce participants to the fundamentals of working on the potter’s wheel, including centering and shaping basic forms.
Instructor demonstrations and guided instruction
Each participant may keep up to two pieces
Forma staff trim, glaze, and fire the finished work
Participants select a glaze color
Finished work is ready for pickup at a later date
Wheel throwing is generally best for adults and youth ages 12 and older for standard private events. For dedicated kids’, teens’ and mixed-age parties, wheel throwing is available for ages 9 and older.
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Handbuilding
Handbuilding events focus on making ceramic work without the wheel, using slabs, coils, and simple tools. This format works well for mixed-age groups and guests who prefer a more tactile approach.
Project-based instruction
Forma handles glazing and firing
Finished work is ready for pickup at a later date
Suitable for a wide range of ages and experience levels
We offer two handbuilding project menus: one for adults and one with kid-friendly projects designed to be more accessible for younger participants.
Book A Private Event
To get started, submit the inquiry form for your group. Include your preferred dates, group size, participants’ ages, and preferred activity. A Forma staff member will follow up to confirm availability and plan the session.
Event FAQs
Forma offers private pottery events for adults, kids and teens, and groups that include both children and adults. Whether you’re planning a birthday, a gathering with friends, a family event, or a team outing, you can choose an activity suited to your group.
We offer two main formats:
Wheel throwing: Learn the basics of shaping clay on a pottery wheel.
Handbuilding: Make pottery by hand using techniques such as slabs and coils, with a choice of projects.
For adult-only groups, use our Book a Private Event inquiry form. For groups that include children or teens, including groups of adults and children together, use our Book a Kids’, Teens’ & Mixed-Age Party inquiry form.
Pricing depends on the type of event and the number of participants.
Adult-only private events
2 participants: $125 per person
3–11 participants: $100 per person
12 or more participants: $75 per person
Kids’, teens’ and mixed-age parties
Participants under 18: $45 per person
Participating adults: $75 per person
Nonparticipating adults: Free
Kids’, teens’ and mixed-age parties require a minimum of four participating guests. Standard event size limits apply, although larger groups may be possible with advance planning.
A $150 deposit is required to reserve an event. Additional fees may apply for shipping finished work.
Standard wheel-throwing events accommodate up to 12 participants, while handbuilding events accommodate up to 15. Larger groups may be possible with advance planning. Include your estimated group size in your inquiry so we can determine the best format for your event.
For adult-only events, wheel throwing is generally best for adults and youth ages 12 and older. For kids’, teens’ and mixed-age parties, handbuilding is available for ages 6 and older, and wheel throwing for ages 9 and older.
Wheel throwing takes coordination, practice, and patience. Handbuilding may be a better fit for younger participants or groups with a wider range of ages.
You can choose wheel throwing or handbuilding.
Wheel throwing introduces participants to forming pottery on a spinning wheel. An instructor demonstrates the basics and guides the group through the process.
Handbuilding uses techniques such as slabs and coils to create pottery by hand. Forma offers two project menus: one for adults and one featuring kid-friendly projects for children and mixed-age groups.
Browse the appropriate menu before booking:
When submitting your inquiry, let us know which activity and project interests your group.
Most private events last approximately two hours and include an instructor, clay, tools, and materials. Aprons are provided.
Each participant may keep up to two finished pieces. Forma staff glaze and fire the work after the event.
Choose the inquiry form that fits your group:
Book a Private Event for adult-only groups.
Book a Kids’, Teens’ & Mixed-Age Party for groups that include children or teens.
Tell us your preferred dates, group size, participants’ ages, and preferred activity. For handbuilding, you can review the project menu before choosing your activity.
Your event is confirmed once Forma has approved the date, time, and staffing and sent written confirmation.
A $150 deposit is required to reserve the event. The organizer can pay the remaining balance for the group, or participants can register and pay individually through a private registration link provided by Forma. Final headcount and payment are due at least 48 hours before the event.
If participants pay individually, the deposit is reconciled against the organizer’s participation fee, if applicable. Any remaining deposit is refunded after all required registrations and payments are complete, provided the event proceeds as planned.
Finished work is generally ready for pickup in about two weeks. Each piece must be glazed and fired after the event, so pottery cannot be taken home the same day.
Forma will provide pickup instructions when the work is ready. Shipping may be available for an additional fee.
Cancellations:
14 or more days before the event: Full deposit refund.
7–13 days before the event: Deposit refunded minus a $75 administrative fee.
48 hours to fewer than 7 days before the event: Deposit is nonrefundable.
Fewer than 48 hours before the event, or after the event has started: The full event cost is nonrefundable.
Rescheduling:
One reschedule is permitted without a fee with at least 7 days’ notice, subject to availability.
Rescheduling with fewer than 7 days’ notice incurs a $75 fee.
Any additional reschedule incurs a $75 fee.
The deposit transfers to the new date. If the rescheduled event is later canceled, the cancellation policy applies based on the notice given before the new date.
What should we wear?
Wear comfortable clothes that can get a little messy. Aprons are provided, and clay generally washes out, but we recommend leaving favorite outfits at home.
Can we bring food and drinks?
Food and drinks are not provided. You may bring snacks, cake, or beverages with advance coordination. Food and drinks must remain outside the clay workspace.
Where is Forma, and where can we park?
Forma is located at 812 W 46th Street, Suite 200, Minneapolis, upstairs from BRASA. Enter through the door on the west side of the building and head upstairs.
Forma-labeled parking spaces are available in the lot behind the building, accessed from Bryant Avenue South. Nearby street parking may also be available. Please arrive a few minutes before your event.
Call or text us at 612-772-5361, or email play@formaclay.com