Both options are stellar, so it depends on what you’re looking for.

Every Studio Session is an opportunity for dialogue, collective learning, and innovation. Taking just one Studio Session could be a transformative experience for your practice.

The 15-month ABCC demands a regular commitment and will create its own rhythm in your life. It will hold you accountable and inevitably take your practice in new directions. You’ll have priority registration for all Studio Sessions and you’ll have access to our team of incredible Advisors for one-on-one feedback.

The ABCC is not an accredited program but you can definitely show the certificate off on your résumé. The ABCC is roughly equivalent to many Post-Baccalaureate Certificate programs and it rivals many MFA programs, but it’s offered at a mere fraction of the price. It’s an opportunity to obtain a rigorous academic education in ceramics without attending an institution. For someone who is looking to apply to graduate school, the ABCC is also an excellent way to build a portfolio.

Nearly every Advisor, Studio Session leader, and State of Ceramics leader has an MFA degree and teaches or has taught ceramics at accredited universities around the globe.

Well, does the ABCC excite you? Do you want to be in dialogue with other artists who are experimenting in clay? Do you want to deepen or shift your relationship with clay? Do you want to be more embedded in the zone of contemporary ceramics? Do you want one-on-one feedback about your work? Are you looking to expand your community and be in regular contact with like-interested individuals? If the answer is yes, well then, yes—this certificate program is probably a great fit for you.

Great! Seriously, great.

If the ABCC is your introduction to ceramics, lucky you! You will have the privilege of learning and understanding clay in an expansive way that you probably never imagined. Its possibilities will feel endless. There are many places—from youtube to amazing local pottery shops— where one can affordably acquire basic “how-to” skills. The ABCC is about the “why-to”. We welcome participants with all levels of experience who are committed to communicating ideas in clay.

The ABCC is designed to take place online so that participants can enroll from anywhere in the world. Participants can opt to meet in-person with Advisors who are local to them for an additional fee.

At this time, only ABCC participants may sign up for Advising meetings. Individuals who have completed the ABCC may also request post-certificate Advising meetings.

Nope! Some participants never fire their work. Kilns are only absolutely necessary for functional ceramics, and this is a program in conceptual ceramics. You don’t even need a slab roller or an extruder or a fancy glaze setup. Really, all of those things are totally optional. This program is customized towards whatever is already available to you.

We’re working on that! For the duration of 2025 there is a monthly scholarship that A-B Projects sponsors for Studio Sessions, called the New Wave Scholarship. A-B Projects continues to seek sponsorship and support for additional scholarships.

If you would like to sponsor a full or partial scholarship for a participant, please reach out to admin@a-bprojects.com to discuss the opportunity or make a donation on our website.

As of 2026 we have built the payment plan into the structure of the ABCC. Participants pay enrollment fees on a semester by semester basis, enabling them to save for and spread out payments.

First of all, take a Studio Session! This will give you a good sense of the overall approach and feel of the ABCC. If you’re still undecided after this, request an introductory interview with Nicole (admin@a-bprojects.com). The intention of the interview is to dig deep and have an honest discussion about whether or not the program is the right fit for you and your practice. It’s a free, informational conversation and you won’t be pressured to make a commitment.