SET Ceramics has been nominated for the Best New Opening prize at the Toast the City awards 2026, recognising its growing presence in London’s financial district.
The studio is part of SET, a registered contemporary arts charity that transforms vacant buildings into affordable artist studios and experimental cultural spaces across London.
Located inside a converted former cobbler’s shop on Crutched Friars, near Fenchurch Street Station, SET Ceramics officially opened its doors last July.
Ella Cairns, site manager and technician at SET Ceramics, says the studio is the only dedicated ceramics space operating within the Square Mile.
The studio serves both as an independent workspace for member artists and a public-facing venue offering courses, workshops, private classes, and kiln hire.
What sets the offering apart is that every course is taught by practising artists who bring their own studio practices and creative methodologies directly into the lessons.
A newly announced four-week wheel throwing course by Lin YingTong draws from her background in visual communication design, dance, and training in Jingdezhen, China.
Classes are kept deliberately small, with just four to six students per session, ensuring each participant receives close individual attention throughout.
Cairns describes the studio as a “genuine somatic and tactile sanctuary,” offering what she calls the “ultimate analogue antidote” to the City’s high-speed digital working environment.
The biggest operational challenge has been building local awareness, as the studio is tucked away and does not fit the mould of a traditional retail or hospitality venue.
Eastern City BID supported the development of the space, helping SET Ceramics pursue its mission of bringing grassroots creative culture back into the City of London.
The studio offers discounted access to City residents as part of its commitment to building a neighbourhood of makers and connecting with the local community.
Cairns notes a visible shift in the Square Mile toward becoming a seven-days-a-week cultural destination, with growing appetite for experiential wellness and community-driven activities.
One participant at a team-building session captured the studio’s appeal perfectly, saying: “The mindfulness of coming away from work and concentrating on creating something with clay was very calming.”
While early interest came largely from local companies booking group workshops, the studio has recently seen a surge in interest from City residents taking up its public courses.
In September, SET Ceramics plans to host a mini-gallery display and a celebratory open day to mark the 10-year anniversary of the wider SET charity.
The open day will allow walk-ins to try wheel throwing or handbuilding for the first time, offering rare public access to a studio that is normally closed to drop-in visitors.
Cairns also highlights the studio’s window display as a detail the team obsesses over, describing it as a “visual-pause button” for anyone passing by on the street.
Among other Square Mile venues, the SET Ceramics team rates Leadenhall Market, the Sky Garden, and Theatre Deli as standout destinations worth visiting.
For anyone curious about pottery, creativity, or simply switching off from City life, SET Ceramics is making a compelling case that clay belongs in the Square Mile.