good to know
Please read the important policies before attending the course. Below you will find information on cancellation policies, payment methods, and frequently asked questions.
customer service
Please contact us primarily by email at the address below. You can also call us, but we may not always be able to answer the phone as we’re often busy working with clay <3
Dopamine Lab Oy
Mannerheimintie 21-23, 00250 Helsinki
044 4946213
Dopamine Lab is a ceramics studio located in Töölö, Helsinki. We offer ceramics courses in both Finnish and English, as well as an open studio for ceramics enthusiasts to work independently. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, our studio provides a creative space to explore and develop your skills in ceramics.
Anyone over 18 is welcome to become a member. Some previous experience with ceramics is recommended, so if you’re new to working with clay, we suggest joining one of our workshops first. If you join as a beginner, you’ll work at the studio with our instructors present to help you get started.
The general age limit for courses is 16, unless otherwise specified (e.g., for courses for children & adults).
The way it works is that you can register online directly from our course store for the course you want or choose the membership you want. If you want to pay with cultural benefits, see the instructions a little further down this page. For orders made online, you will receive an email confirmation, as well as additional information about the upcoming course or starting membership.
The membership is valid for 30 days at a time, and when purchasing the membership. The membership renews automatically every 30 days and remains valid until you decide to cancel it.
If the membership period includes public holidays or other days when the studio is closed, the membership duration will automatically be extended by the number of those closure days.
If you have received a gift card, simply register for your chosen course through our online store as usual.
-
Add your chosen course to the cart.
-
At checkout, enter lahjakortti in the discount code field.
-
Your order total will automatically change to €0, and you can complete your registration.
-
Within 24 hours, please email the following information to info@dopaminelab.fi:
-
your gift card code
-
the gift card expiration date
-
Please note: If we do not receive your gift card information within 24 hours of your registration, your course reservation will be cancelled automatically.
If your gift card value differs from the course price
-
If there is any remaining balance on your gift card, we will email you a new gift card for the unused amount.
-
If the course price exceeds the value of your gift card, we will email you an invoice for the remaining balance.
-
Workshop bookings are binding, but in case of illness, the course can be rescheduled to another date. The rescheduling must be done at least 24 hours in advance.
It is also possible to transfer your spot to another person, as long as you notify us by email with the new participant’s name and email address.
A workshop can only be rescheduled once. :)
Pickup hours: Mon–Wed 13:00–20:00, Thu–Fri 12:00–17:00.
You will receive a separate email notification when your work is ready for pickup. Please also remember to check for any exceptional opening hours on the Contact Information page.
Workshop pieces are usually completed within approximately 5–8 weeks, although the timeline may vary. We always provide an estimated completion date at the workshop, but this may change due to factors such as kiln queue congestion. Waiting can feel long, but we will notify you as soon as your pieces are ready for collection. :)
Larger pieces (over 20 cm in height or 25 cm in width) may require additional time to complete.
Finished works will be stored at the studio for 2 months from the completion date.
Our front working area is wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, the back area and restroom are not fully accessible due to a few steps between spaces. We strive to make our studio as accessible as possible and are happy to assist with any specific needs—feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility.
You don’t need to bring anything to the courses unless specifically mentioned in the course details. Open studio members can bring their own apron, but there is a limited number of loan aprons available <3
In our course shop, you can make payments directly through online banking. The payment provider is the secure and Finnish Holvi Payment Services Oy, which is a payment institution licensed by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority.
Payment at the studio can also be made using mobile cultural benefit services (Edenred and Epassi).
Private pottery workshops are invoiced in advance, either by email invoice or electronic invoice.
In our course shop, we accept the most common bank connections, and you can pay directly through online banking. If you'd like to pay using a culture benefit, simply enter the code KULTTUURIETU in the "gift code" field and complete your reservation as usual. After that, you can make the payment directly via the E-pass or Edenred mobile app and send us a screenshot of the receipt by email to info@dopaminelab.fi. Unfortunately, we do not accept physical activity cards or vouchers.
Here are the instructions:
E-pass: https://www.epassi.fi/fi/tyontekijalle#kulttuuri
Edenred: https://edenred.fi/fi/edunsaaja/maksutavat
The culture benefit is personal, so it can only be used for one course/membership.
Course dates are announced every two months and are released all at once in our online shop. Be sure to follow us on social media (Instagram & TikTok @dopaminelabhel) so you stay on top of the latest events and course updates!
The Open Studio is available to our members from Monday to Sunday.
Member access hours:
-
Monday–Thursday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
-
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
-
Saturday–Sunday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Our instructors are available at the studio during the following hours:
-
Monday–Wednesday: 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
-
Thursday–Friday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Please note that the studio is closed on public holidays unless otherwise announced.
You can find all holiday closures and exceptional opening hours on our Contact page.
The best way to reach us is by email at info@dopaminelab.fi, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
The studio is often buzzing with workshops and activities, so we may not always be able to answer the phone. Thank you for understanding! ❤️
-
We offer a standard selection of clays, including light, speckled, black, and gray clay. Red clay is available only for special courses, such as Nerikomi, due to its different firing temperature. We also occasionally order extra batches of specialty clays (e.g., porcelain clay), and these can be inquired about at the studio.
For engobes and glazes, we have a wide range available for our members to use. If you don't find the exact shade of glaze or engobe you're looking for, feel free to request it, and we can consider adding it to our selection!
Personal clays are not permitted at the studio, as all clay used must be supplied by the studio to ensure compatibility with our firing process.
You are welcome to use your own glazes, but you must always check with an instructor first to make sure they are suitable for our kiln temperatures.
At the moment, we do not offer a firing service, as our kiln capacity is fully reserved for members' and workshop participants' work.
In our workshops, the maximum size for finished pieces is 20 cm in height and 25 cm in width (except for the Vase Workshop, where taller pieces are allowed).
You are welcome to make multiple pieces during a workshop, as long as they all fit on a 40 × 40 cm workboard. :)
Are you planning a team wellness day, a birthday celebration, a bachelorette party, or simply looking to spend a private evening with friends at our studio?
Send us an email at info@dopaminelab.fi, and we'll be happy to help you plan an event that suits your group!
Private events are available for groups of 5–20 people.
safety & conditions
The studio is not responsible for any damages, injuries, or accidents that may occur when arriving at or while present in the studio. We ask all clients to follow the safety instructions given by the instructor and to use tools properly.
The studio provides a safe and well-equipped environment, but the responsibility for your own well-being and caution always lies with the client. We only use safe materials and tools, but please always be careful when working. It is especially important to exercise caution and care when using rotating equipment (such as pottery wheels). There are devices in the studio for staff use only (such as the kiln), which are not to be used for safety reasons.
The studio is not responsible for personal belongings, such as clothes, bags, or other personal items. We ask you to store your personal belongings securely and take care of them yourself.
Cancellation policy
Ceramics Workshops:
Bookings are binding, but in case of illness, your booking can be transferred to another workshop. 💙
If you’re unable to attend due to illness, please let us know by email as soon as possible, and we’ll find a suitable new workshop for you.
Please note that the booking can only be transferred once, and we kindly ask you to notify us at least 24 hours before the workshop starts.
Day passes:
Day pass bookings must be cancelled no later than the previous day. Uncancelled bookings will be charged a studio fee of €35.
Private Events:
Cancellations must be made as follows:
-
More than 30 days before the event: free cancellation
-
14–30 days before: 50% of the total price will be charged
-
Less than 14 days before: 100% of the total price will be charged
Number of participants:
The final number of participants must be confirmed no later than 14 days before the event. After this, reductions will not be refunded.
If a participant is unable to attend, their spot can be transferred to another person at no additional cost.