Private Pottery Events in NYC

Private Pottery Events · Manhattan, NYC

Private Pottery Events in NYC

Private pottery events in NYC for birthdays, team building, and celebrations.

  • Private studio for your group
  • Groups of 8–40
  • BYOB welcome
  • Great for teams & birthdays

Choose your event

Raw Pottery Intensive$90/personStudio minimum from $1,000Bisque firing · finish optionalBookMost popularSignature Pottery Event$120/personStudio minimum from $1,000Create & paint with your groupBook
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About our Private Events

Book the whole studio for your group and we'll run a private pottery event built around your occasion. Private events are a favorite for birthday parties, corporate team building, bachelorette parties, office outings, and family celebrations — everyone gets hands-on with clay while you enjoy exclusive use of the space. BYOB is welcome for adult groups.

Choose the Raw Pottery Intensive for guided wheel throwing and hand building with bisque firing, or the Signature Pottery Event to add same-day painting with glazing and firing so everyone leaves with a finished piece. We host groups of 8 to 40, and parties of 17 or more automatically get a third hour at no extra charge.

Who it's for

  • Birthday parties and milestone celebrations
  • Corporate team building and office outings
  • Bachelorette parties and family gatherings
  • School groups and fundraising events

What's included

  • Exclusive private use of the studio for your group
  • Guided wheel throwing and hand building for everyone
  • Unlimited clay and aprons
  • Bisque firing (painting and glazing included on the Signature event)
  • A free third hour for groups of 17 or more

Private Events at Gotham Pottery

Here's a closer look at each option in this category, including pricing, session length, and when your finished pottery will be ready to pick up.

Raw Pottery Intensive

$90/personStudio minimum from $1,000

A private handbuilding and wheel event with bisque firing included

2 hours (up to 3 hours for groups of 17+)Pieces ready approximately 4 weeks
  • Main studio booking, excluding the member room
  • 2-hour private event
  • Please arrive promptly on time
  • Aprons provided
  • Pieces ready in 4 weeks
Most popular

Signature Pottery Event

$120/personStudio minimum from $1,000

A private pottery event with same-day painting and firing & glazing included

2 hours (up to 3 hours for groups of 17+)Pieces ready approximately 4 weeks
  • Main studio booking, excluding the member room
  • 2-hour private event
  • Please arrive promptly on time
  • Aprons provided
  • Pieces ready in 4 weeks

Private events are $90 per person for the Raw Pottery Intensive and $120 per person for the Signature Pottery Event, paid in full when you book. For private events, we allow parties to add an optional tip. All of your chosen amount will go directly to the instructors and staff that run your event. On the $90 Raw Pottery Intensive you can add a clear glaze finish for $20/person or painting & glazing for $30/person — choose one or neither. You can also add an extra hour for $250 (recommended if you're bringing food or drinks), and groups of 17+ get a third hour included automatically. Every event has a studio minimum of $1,000 Monday–Thursday or $1,500 Friday–Sunday; if your group's per-person total and finish add-ons come in under that, the difference is added at booking (the extra hour doesn't count toward it). Please book at least a few days in advance. Studio members save 15% on private events — sign in to the member portal before booking and the discount is applied automatically at checkout.

Private Events in Manhattan — how to find us

Gotham Pottery sits at 146 W 29th Street in Manhattan, on the border of NoMad and Chelsea and just a few blocks from the Flatiron District, Herald Square, and Koreatown. The studio is on the fifth floor (suite 5W) of a classic NYC loft building.

Nearby trains

  • 128th St — 2 minute walk
  • N / Q / R / W28th St — 5 minute walk
  • B / D / F / M34th St – Herald Sq — 5 minute walk
  • A / C / E34th St – Penn Station — 8 minute walk
  • PATH33rd St — 5 minute walk

We're a short walk from Penn Station and Herald Square, so most guests arrive by subway or PATH. If you're driving, there are several parking garages on West 28th and 29th Streets between 6th and 7th Avenues; street parking is limited, so we recommend the subway when you can.

When you arrive

Take the elevator to the fifth floor and look for suite 5W. Please arrive promptly on time. Wear clothes you don't mind getting a little clay on, and keep your nails short if you plan to throw on the wheel.

The studio serves makers across NoMad, Chelsea, Flatiron, Herald Square, Koreatown, Midtown South, and the rest of New York City.

Frequently asked questions

How many guests can you host?
Private events are designed for groups of 8 to 40 guests. For parties of 17 or more, a third hour is included automatically so everyone has time to create. Groups of 23 or fewer book the main studio, excluding the member room; groups of 24 or more get exclusive use of the entire studio.
Is there a minimum spend?
Yes. Private events have a studio minimum of $1,000 Monday–Thursday and $1,500 Friday–Sunday. Your per-person price and any finish add-ons count toward it; if they come in under the minimum, the difference is added to your booking as a studio minimum line. The $250 extra hour is separate and doesn't count toward the minimum.
Can we tip our instructors?
For private events, we allow parties to add an optional tip. All of your chosen amount will go directly to the instructors and staff that run your event.
Can we bring food and drinks?
Yes — BYOB is welcome for adult groups, and many hosts bring snacks or catering. If you're planning to eat and drink, we recommend adding the extra hour ($250) so there's plenty of time alongside the pottery.
What's the difference between the two private event packages?
The Raw Pottery Intensive ($90/person) covers wheel throwing and hand building with bisque firing included. The Signature Pottery Event ($120/person) adds same-day painting with glazing and firing, so each guest takes home a fully finished piece. Both packages carry the same studio minimum.
How far in advance should we book?
Private events require at least a few days' notice so we can staff and set up the studio for your group. For weekends and larger parties, we recommend reserving as early as you can.
When should our group arrive?
Please arrive promptly on time. The studio is set up and ready for your group at the start time on your confirmation.
Where is Gotham Pottery located?
We're at 146 W 29th Street, Suite 5W, New York, NY 10001 — on the NoMad/Chelsea border in Manhattan, a 2-minute walk from the 28th St (1) station and close to Herald Square and Penn Station.
Do I need any pottery experience?
No. Almost every class is beginner-friendly and instructor-led, so you can walk in having never touched clay and leave with something you made yourself. Open Studio is the one exception, since it's reserved for experienced potters working independently.
When can I pick up my finished pieces?
Pottery has to be fired (and glazed, where included) before it's food-safe and ready to take home. Most wheel and hand-building pieces are ready about 3-4 weeks after your class, while paint-only pieces are usually ready in about 2 weeks. We'll email you when your work is ready for pickup. Pickup hours are Monday–Friday, 12–7pm and Saturday–Sunday, 12–5pm. There's no need to call ahead — just stop by, and please pick up within 30 days of the email.
Can you ship pottery to me after the class?
No. We don't ship finished pieces — you have to pick yours up at the studio. We'll email you when your work is ready.