For makers with a practice
A Ceramic Artist Residency in the Himalayas
Self-directed studio time in Rakkar, above Dharamshala, for people who already know what they want to make. A wheel, hand-building space, glazes and a kiln, with a room in the mud house and food cooked in it. No curriculum, no group critique, no obligation to produce anything at all — just consecutive days in a working studio at 1,300 metres.
- Format
- Self-directed, not taught
- Length
- Set case by case — a week upward
- Studio
- Wheel, hand-building space, glazes, kiln to 1320°C
- Hours
- Studio access 11am – 6pm
- Stay
- Mud house room and meals
- For
- Potters, ceramic artists, makers in adjacent media
Who this is for
Potters who can already centre, and ceramic artists who need a stretch of uninterrupted days more than they need teaching. Also, occasionally, people working in other materials who want to think through clay for a while — that has produced some of the more interesting work to come out of the studio. What everyone has in common is arriving with something in mind. This is not the place to find out whether you like pottery; the retreat is, and it is the better booking if you are still deciding.
What the studio actually has
A wheel, tables for hand-building, tools, clay, and a working glaze range. The kiln is a round chamber divided into four cabin levels, about fifty-two litres across a full load, firing up to 1320°C — which is stoneware territory, not a hobby kiln. Mita packs and fires it herself, because a firing runs for hours unattended and it is the one piece of equipment we do not hand over. Studio access is during posted hours, 11am to 6pm, and you share the room with whatever class or workshop is running that day. It is a small studio being honest about its size rather than a facility.
How the days go
However you decide. Most residents fall into a rhythm within a couple of days: studio through the middle of the day, the valley in the late afternoon, and an evening in the house. Nobody checks on your progress, and there is no expectation that you show work at the end. If you want Mita's eye on something you are welcome to ask, and if you would rather work in silence for two weeks that is equally fine. Firing is scheduled around what is already in the kiln, so tell us early if a piece has to be fired before you leave.
Where you stay
The same mud house as the retreat guests — thick walls, quiet rooms, food cooked in the kitchen and eaten together. Rakkar is a village rather than a resort, which means the internet is good enough to work on and the evenings are genuinely dark. Most residents find the lack of things to do is the point. Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj are a short drive when you want a city afternoon.
How to ask
There is no application form and no committee. Send a message with a few images of your work or a link to it, roughly what you would like to make here, and when you are free. That is enough to know whether the studio can give you what you need — and occasionally the honest answer is that it cannot, in which case we will say so rather than take a booking. Dates and terms are agreed directly, and we generally reply within a day.
What we do not offer
We are not a funded residency. There are no stipends, no travel grants and no exhibition at the end, because a studio this size cannot pay for those honestly and we would rather not imply otherwise. There is also no guarantee of exclusive studio access — classes run through the week, and the wheel is shared. If you need a funded programme or a private studio, larger residencies in India and abroad will serve you better, and we are happy to point you at a few.
Frequently asked questions
Tap a question to open it.
What is the difference between the residency and the pottery retreat?
The retreat is taught and structured around five studio days with Madhumita, and it is built for everyone from complete beginners upward. The residency is self-directed time for people who already have a practice — you set the days, the work and the pace. Both include a room in the mud house and meals.
How long can I stay?
Agreed case by case, generally from a week upward. Longer stays are possible when the studio calendar allows. Tell us the window you have in mind and we will tell you what is actually free rather than holding dates we cannot honour.
Do you offer funded or free residencies?
No. There are no stipends, grants or fee waivers — the studio is small and could not fund one honestly. If a funded ceramic residency is what you need, there are programmes in India and abroad that do offer them, and we will happily suggest a few.
What clay and glazes are available?
Studio clay and a working glaze range are available and included in the arrangement. If you want to bring your own body or test a glaze of your own, that is usually fine — tell us beforehand, because anything unfamiliar going into the kiln needs a conversation first.
What kiln do you have?
A round chamber roughly 41 cm across and 45 cm tall, divided into four cabin levels by shelves on posts — about thirteen litres a cabin and fifty-two across a full load, or around forty standard mugs. It fires up to 1320°C. Mita packs and programmes every firing herself.
Do I need to be a professional artist?
No, but you should be past the beginner stage and able to work without instruction. If you can centre, build and finish a piece on your own, you will get what you came for. If you cannot yet, the taught retreat will serve you far better and you can come back for a residency afterwards.
Can I take workshops or classes while I am here?
Yes. Weekend workshops and the monthly class batches run through the residency and you are welcome to join, charged separately. Several residents have sat in on a glazing session and found it useful even with years of their own practice behind them.
Can I get work fired and sent home?
Yes. Firing is charged by load — a single cabin, half the kiln, or all four cabins reserved for your work. Glazed work takes three to six weeks through two firings, so plan the end of your stay around that, and we ship within India for ₹200 a piece.
Is there internet? Can I work remotely alongside the residency?
There is workable internet in the house, and some residents keep a few hours of other work going. It is a village rather than a co-working space, so expect the occasional outage in the monsoon, and expect the studio to be more interesting than your inbox.
How do I apply?
Message the studio on WhatsApp with a link to your work or a few images, a sentence about what you would like to make here, and the dates you are considering. No form, no deadline. We usually reply within a day and will say plainly if the studio is not the right fit.
Explore more
What comes off the shelves
Wild hemp, pressed and fired
Foraged that morning
Burnishing, no glaze
Trimming a foot
Out of the last firing
Drying, waiting on a kiln load
Ask about a residency
No form and no deadline. Send a link to your work and roughly when you're free, and we'll tell you honestly whether the studio fits.
Preview your message
Hi Mita Pottery Studio! I'd like to ask about the ceramic artist residency. *When:* Flexible — suggest something *How long:* Not sure yet *Who's coming:* Not sure yet *Your practice:* Not said *Name:* — Sent from the ceramic artist residency page on mitapottery.com
Opens WhatsApp with everything filled in — just hit send. Nothing is charged or committed here.
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