About Rotorua Potters Group
Rotorua Potters Group is a community-led club based in Studio 3 at The Arts Village in Rotorua. Our group is a community-led pottery club based in Studio 3 at The Arts Village, Rotorua. Our purpose is to nurture a supportive community of potters by offering opportunities for people at all stages of their pottery journey to learn, create, and connect.
Our welcoming, well-equipped studio includes three kilns and provides a safe, fun space to pot. We host pottery classes, workshops, and special events throughout the year — from beginner-friendly sessions to masterclasses with visiting artists. Members also take part in annual exhibitions and community projects that share the joy of clay with the wider Rotorua community.
Guided by our values — whanaungatanga (connection), whai wāhitanga (accessibility), oranga (wellbeing), akoako (learning), whakaute (respect), and toitūtanga (sustainability) — we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where creativity and collaboration thrive.
The club is governed by a dedicated team of volunteers and pottery enthusiasts, who ensure the studio runs smoothly and sustainably for future generations of potters.
We’re fortunate to call The Arts Village our permanent home — a vibrant hub that celebrates local arts and creativity. The team at The Arts Village provides the facilities and support that make our work possible, and we’re deeply grateful for their ongoing partnership.
If you’re visiting our studio, take a moment to explore the wider village. You’ll find a co-op-run shop selling locally made art and crafts, an independent café, and three galleries with regularly changing exhibitions showcasing artists from Rotorua and across Aotearoa.
Our purpose is to nurture a supportive community of potters through the following
Offering a range of opportunities for current and potential potters to begin and progress their pottery journey.
Providing a functioning, fun and safe space in which to pot.
Ensuring these opportunities exist in perpetuity.
Our History
Rotorua Potters Group started with humble beginnings. The original club was based at Wychwood Nursery on Wychwood Crescent, where members worked with an “interesting” diesel-fired kiln—until it collapsed. The kiln’s demise seemed to mark the end of the club itself, which never fully recovered.
Years later, former club president Selwyn Hatrick arrived in Rotorua and joined a pottery class at Boys’ High, alongside around 40 others. While the teaching was minimal, the experience sparked a passion for pottery that left many wanting more. Bev Cave stepped in to help channel that enthusiasm, and with her support, the club gained momentum. It moved from a rented scout den to a double shed at The Arts Village, and membership flourished, surpassing 40.
In the early 2000s, interest in pottery dipped nationwide, and club membership dropped to just eight. But thanks to the perseverance of dedicated members like Betty Millar and Selwyn Hatrick, the club held on—offering night classes and specialist workshops to keep the clay alive in Rotorua.
Today, Rotorua Potters Group is thriving with a well-equipped studio and over 100 members. Our long-time potters continue to lead beginners’ workshops and help keep the doors open, ensuring everyone in the community has the chance to experience the joy of clay.