Lav Kav: One-day ceramics workshops for two persons

Almost private, with room for attention

Lav Kav distinguishes itself through exceptionally small-scale sessions: a maximum of two participants per workshop, lasting two to three hours, including guidance and finished work to take home. Those who join Lav Kav do so almost in a private setting. “There is room for attention, for making mistakes, for conversation, for minimal distractions and a low social barrier,” says the founder. This small scale is no coincidence, but the core of the concept and the model. “I hope to reach people who would normally find such a course too daunting, either due to the social aspect or the financial one.”

Practical information

This one-day workshop takes place after consultation and depending on the availability in the schedules of the applicant and provider. The cost of this workshop includes firing the work, so you can take it home with you. If you would like to know more, please visit the Lav Kav website or send an email .

The social model

Ceramics is currently one of the most popular creative activities in Amsterdam, but most workshops cater to people who can afford to pay one hundred euros or more per session, unless you want to join the larger classes. “That is not surprising, as keeping it running involves very high costs.” For many newcomers, City Pass holders, and people in buddy programs, that is not an option. Lav Kav wants to change that—not as an exception, but as a starting point. Every regular spot (€119.95 per person) directly funds a spot for someone who otherwise would not be able to afford it. For newcomers and holders of the Amsterdam City Pass, the contribution is €10 per person. It is also well-suited for use within buddy programs, where volunteers guide newcomers in learning the language and finding their way around the city, among other things. A workshop at Lav Kav offers such a duo a concrete, shared activity—something to go to, something to talk about, something to make together.

Space for language

For those learning Dutch, the workshop offers a supplement to language lessons. During the session, you follow instructions, naturally learn words related to the materials and the creative process, and engage in conversation—without a test and without a group of twenty people. It is precisely this combination of doing and talking, in a small, safe environment, that makes practicing the language accessible in a way that feels normal.

Personal experience

The founder knows from personal experience what it is like to get to know the language and culture as a newcomer. As a seven-year-old child, she fled Armenia and built a new life here. As a child, she learned the language relatively easily—not because the talent came naturally, but because children are less afraid to make mistakes. "For adults, that is much scarier. That fear of saying something wrong sets a high bar," she explains. It is precisely that bar that she wants to lower with Lav Kav: in a small, safe setting where making mistakes is part of the process. That wish forms the core of Lav Kav.

Anchored in North

Lav Kav is deliberately located in Amsterdam North, a district with a great diversity of residents, active social organizations, and a growing creative community. The boutique does not want to be an island, but part of that fabric: collaboration with organizations such as Vluchtelingenwerk, Het Leeshuis, buddy programs, Stadspas networks, and the Tolhuistuin is central.