Art for Everyone: Our Scholarship Story
We just wrapped up our application for next year’s scholarship funding. Our partners at OASIS—especially the ever-motivated and generous Barbara Camph—have been working tirelessly to put it together for the Community Foundation’s Arts & Culture grant program. I’m feeling deeply grateful to the late Earlynn J. Miller, and to our wider community, for building such strong support for the arts here in Harrisonburg.
As part of the application, I looked back at who our scholarships have supported this past year, and it was humbling. It reminded me why I wanted to start an art center in the first place, and how powerfully art has shaped my own life.
My own journey with clay has had plenty of ups and downs. Pottery has been inspiring, energizing, overwhelming, lonely, identity-giving, and yes—sometimes existential-crisis-inducing. Over the years, it’s forced me to confront perfectionism, to push through when I felt stuck, and to learn patience. It’s also taught me to see the beauty in the flawed and imperfect. In many ways, working with clay has been like holding up a mirror: it’s shown me who I am, where I struggle, and where I shine.
Reading through our scholarship applications, I see echoes of that same search for meaning and balance. Some folks just need a breather—a pause from high-pressure schooling or the demands of caregiving. Others are between jobs, paying down student debt, raising families, or just not in a place to spend on something “extra.” For them, scholarships create room for creativity they’ve always wanted to explore. And some are simply looking to reconnect—with themselves, or with a family member who once loved a craft and has since passed on.
Everyone’s creative journey looks different. I feel lucky that our center gets to be part of so many of them. So—thank you. To the Community Foundation and OASIS, for trusting us to make art more accessible. And to every one of you who has taken a class with us, for trusting us to hold a space where you can let your guard down and be a beginner for a little while.
Our grant application is in—wish us luck! In the meantime, we do have a little left in our current scholarship fund, likely enough for one more half-scholarship. If that would help you take a class, please don’t hesitate to apply.
And if you’d like to help us keep this fund going, we’re always grateful for individual donations of any amount through our Donations page. They’re not tax-deductible, but every dollar goes directly to supporting people in our community who otherwise couldn’t afford a class. Because art should be for everyone, don’t you think?
Some words from our scholarship recipients:
“I’ve rediscovered my passion for pottery through the friendly city clay and art center and highly recommend anyone interested in learning the wheel to try one of their beginner pottery courses!” - Sonya
“I had an incredible experience being able to take a class at friendly city clay and arts center! Karis was a phenomenal instructor who shared her knowledge in a patient, kind, and guiding way while also pushing us to make mistakes and learn from them. The community aspect of the class was great as well! I left this class with new friends and connections to the clay community. Receiving this scholarship was a blessing and I am leaving this experience with a new hobby that I hope to continue in the future! Thank you so much!”
"If it's wasn't for the opportunity to take the clay class through the scholarship program, I'd have never discovered how much I love it! I not only enjoyed creating the clay pieces but I loved painting them too. The whole process is relaxing. It was my favorite part about camp and it made me want to return to next year's summer camp as well." Julia Martinez, 11 y.o.
“The drawing class I took at Friendly City Clay & Art Center gave me a place to jump off of as I work towards developing an art portfolio to apply to college, and I may not have been able to take the class if not for the scholarship I got. The skills I learned in the class will continue to serve me as I build my portfolio and advance in my artistic goals. I am grateful for the generosity of all who make the scholarship possible!”