Diversity

The St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour stands in solidarity against racial discrimination that has always been an injurious part of American culture. As tour hosts we have put much thought into this opportunity to help build racial equity in ceramic arts, and specifically, the Tour is making a conscious effort to invite accomplished potters of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) and other underrepresented communities.

We acknowledge that our own community in the St. Croix River Valley is built upon a history fraught with great injustice towards indigenous peoples and other minority groups, and are reminded of this daily in the fact that we live and work on land that has been the home of the Dakota and Ojibwe for centuries.

In the weeks after the death of George Floyd, we have felt outrage, and are in agreement that anti-racist actions are necessary to counteract inherent discrimination. The St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour has been outlining ways in which our group could commit to promoting racial justice in our community of artists and among our audience. For our part, we have the unique privilege of showcasing a wide variety of functional ceramics from nationally known artists, and we are grateful for this opportunity to include more potters of varying ethnicity, life experience and inspiration.

Beginning with the 2021 tour, we intend to amplify the voices of artists of color, and also commit a portion of our philanthropy to initiatives devoted to racial justice in youth education for ceramics. We hope to help build a solid and equitable future for anyone wanting the opportunity to pursue a life in clay.

Please join us onsite or online on May 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2021 for the 29th annual Saint Croix Valley Pottery Tour.