We have launched the Toast the City awards 2026 and throughout the year we’ll be speaking to some of the nominees – this week it’s the team at SET Ceramics. To nominate your favourite Square Mile spots for the 2026 awards, from bars and restaurants to galleries and green spaces, visit the Toast the City website here.

Ella Cairns is site manager and technician at SET Ceramics, part of the wider contemporary arts charity SET. They officially opened their doors last July inside a beautifully converted former cobbler’s shop on Crutched Friars, near Fenchurch Street Station. Being open for less than a year – hence the nomination for Best New Opening! – they are a relatively new addition to the Square Mile but are already helping build a creative community from the ground up.

What makes SET Ceramics stand out?

We’re the only dedicated ceramics studio in the Square Mile, serving both as an independent workspace for studio members and an artist-led environment for the public, where they can take part in courses, workshops, private classes, kiln hire and more. 

What truly sets our experiences apart is that each of our courses are taught by practicising artists who weave their unique, real studio practices and creative methodologies into the lessons. For example, our newly announced four week wheel throwing course by Lin YingTong draws heavily from her background in visual communication design, dance and her extensive training in Jingdezhen, China, a city renowned for its porcelain and ceramic craftsmanship. Plus, we keep our classes intentionally small, just four to six students, so everyone receives deep individual attention. Beyond building key technical skills in pottery making, our courses are rooted in experimentation and just generally having fun!

How would your regulars describe SET Ceramics in three words?

Relaxing, inspiring and creative.

What’s the one thing SET Ceramics does better than anyone else?

We provide a genuine somatic and tactile sanctuary to switch off. In an area known for high-speed digital work, we offer the ultimate analogue antidote: an opportunity to work with your hands, connect your body to the wheel, and explore raw clay at your own pace in a relaxed, focusing setting. Once you step into our studio, we’re about decompressing and connecting in real time. You can’t learn ceramics through an app!

What’s been the biggest challenge running a business in the City?

Building local awareness and letting people know we’re tucked away here. We can be quite easy to miss! Because we aren’t a traditional retail, hospitality, or corporate venue, it takes time for busy workers and residents to discover that there’s a pottery studio right on their doorstep. We’ve been growing slowly over the past year, with lots of people attending our courses and workshops, and we have lots of artists working independently in the studio. But we hope this opportunity sheds some light on our work – and our wider charity – and encourages more people to get involved. 

And the biggest opportunity?

Fulfilling our mission to bring true, grassroots, creative culture back into the City of London. We’re part of SET, a registered arts charity that transforms vacant buildings into affordable artist studios and spaces for experimental culture. With the wonderful support from Eastern City BID, who helped develop this space, SET Ceramics allows us to reinvest in the arts while directly bridging the gap between an area that’s not inherently known for the arts and curious creatives who might want to try something new. Like with all SET spaces and venues around London, we always want to connect with the local community, and that’s why we offer discounted access to City residents. We want to help build a neighbourhood of makers. 

How has the Square Mile changed since SET Ceramics opened?

We’ve noticed a real shift towards the City becoming a seven days a week cultural destination, rather than just a financial hub. Walking around, you can see there’s been a massive, growing appetite for experiential wellness. People are looking for meaningful, community-driven experiences right where they work and live, moving beyond the usual post-work drinking culture. 

What’s a small detail you obsess over that customers might not notice?

What’s the most memorable feedback you’ve had?

During one of our team-building sessions, a participant told us: “The mindfulness of coming away from work and concentrating on creating something with clay was very calming.” Knowing we provided that total mental reset in the middle of a stressful work week is exactly why we exist.

Who is the typical SET Ceramics customer – and has that changed?

Initially, we saw a lot of interest from local companies booking our team pottery workshops for groups of four to 10. However, we’ve recently seen a wonderful surge in interest from actual City residents. Because we offer dedicated discounts for locals on our public courses, we are successfully drawing in residents who want to learn everything from rhythmic wheel throwing to experimental handbuilding.

Which other City venues do you rate highly?

We love Leadenhall Market for its stunning historic architecture, the Sky Garden for its beautiful views, and our peers at Theatre Deli who are doing some really cool stuff!

What does a perfect day in the Square Mile look like to you?

A quiet morning coffee wandering through the local streets, followed by a nice afternoon in the studio, chatting about all things ceramics with our studio members, firing some pots in the kiln. 

What do you like to have on your morning toast?

Marmite and butter – enjoyed quickly before getting my hands covered in clay!