Abstract
Unemployment has alarmingly become a major socio-economic quandary, which calls for proactive sustainable solutions in the light of job creation and economic empowerment. One of the most viable strategies would be to foster Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurship. Contemporary studio pottery/ceramic practice, which encompasses ceramics design, throwing on the wheel, hand modelling, ceramic sculpting, decoration, casting and glazing (which is usually substituted with aesthetic pigmentation), typically presents a significant prospect for employment generation, especially in developing countries. This paper thus, explores the potential of SMEs and entrepreneurship in studio pottery practice as a means to curb unemployment. It assesses requirements upon which studio based pottery/ceramic (unlike in its industrial counterpart) enterprise thrives for sustainability. It examines the challenges faced by small-scale potters/ceramicists/ceramics artists. These include limited access to standard equipment and facilities, scarcity of quality raw materials, zero funding, and market competition. Additionally, it highlights strategies for fostering entrepreneurship in pottery/ceramics, such as vocational training, government incentives, financial support, and digital marketing integration. It wraps up that leveraging creative innovation and sustainable practices, studio based ceramic enterprises can drive the country’s economic growth, reduce unemployment, and contribute to the global ceramics commerce. It therefore, advocates for collaborative efforts among governments, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders to create an enabling environment for small-scale studio based ceramic businesses. This paper provides actionable insights for policymakers, business owners, and researchers interested in the intersection of entrepreneurship, ceramics production, and employment generation.
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