Moving unto new Beginnings

When we launched the Pottery Institute, we envisioned it as a living testament to the sophistication of Hausa culture — a space where pottery, one of the oldest and most enduring artforms of Hausa society, could continue to sustain livelihoods, transmit values, and reflect the resilience of our people across generations. As the work progressed, it became increasingly clear that its true power lies not in isolation, but in its ability to connect with our broader mission of elevating Hausa arts and cultural heritage through the Museum of Hausa Arts and Heritage (Mohart).

After extensive consultation with partners, cultural custodians, and community stakeholders, we have embraced a more integrated and future-focused path. The Pottery Institute, in its current form, will transition into the Pottery Lab, while the Pottery Museum will formally merge with Mohart. Though the institute will be dissolved, its vision and principles will continue to thrive; strengthened, not lost through these new structures.

Guided by this evolution, we are proud to introduce CRANE STUDIOS, a cultural innovation lab designed to protect, celebrate, and reimagine Hausa heritage using contemporary artistic expression. CRANE STUDIOS will operate through three interconnected pillars:

• Pottery Lab | Advancing and revitalizing Hausa pottery traditions through research, training, and community practice.

• Hue Lab | Building a dynamic marketplace for Hausa textiles; from weaving techniques to natural dyeing while empowering artisans and expanding cultural economies.

• Tatsuniya | Cultivating a vibrant community space for Hausa cultural practitioners, storytellers, artists, and tradition bearers to collaborate and create.

Together, these pillars will form the heart of Crane House, a dedicated cultural hub where heritage is not only preserved, but actively lived. Crane House will embody a sustainable, community-led vision of cultural continuity, honoring the past while creating new pathways for the future of Hausa arts and intangible heritage.

The Crane House will open in 2026.