There are so many great and cool and interesting ceramics organizations you can be a part of! Go to events! Meet people!
Washington Clay Association
An org running since '83 (that's over 40 years!) they host parties and talks and member shows and offer grants and feature artists and list almost 800 members! Which is a lot of ceramists in one org!
Membership is pay what you can, with yearly charges of $0, $25, or $50! You get access to all their events (about 1 ever month or so) and various discounts at area retailers.
Cute hack: serve on their board for a term and get membership for life ;) Membership Coordinator position currently open get it get it!!
Whatcom Artists of Clay and Kiln
Hands down the best name. Intended for residents of Whatcom county (you know, it's kind of right there in the name) Membership is $15 for listing on their website, getting in to events, getting your name on their website, being able to say you are a card carrying WACK-o....
What's not to love?
KilnShare
My future go to place for seeing who is willing to fire my mystery clay the studio head swore was a mix of "midfire" clays which I hope is true but I know covered at least 4 different colors and also staples. Strain your reclaim kids.
Flash & Ash
I'm in love. A GLOBAL website devoted to listing the Woodfire kilns of the world? Incredible. I love it. Pottery people are so cool.
Created by Seattle's very own Any Guelmann. Check. It. OUT
And now for the BIG orgs
National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
NCECA vibes like a professional conference you'd sign up for to get some time outside the office. But maybe good actually? I don't know, I haven't been. But I can report they say they are the largest org in the world, they're about learning, and they have normie memberships for $30 (student) or $75 (standard) which is WELL below the normal professional org fees.
The value of these orgs are all about what you get from their events, conferences, and publications, with some discounts from vendors as a little sweetener. In the NCECA's case they also offer 3 $2,000 grants and 6 $3,300 grants, as well as ~20 free conference passes for their big annual event.
I'll update what other stuff they offer if I join (or if they expand their website)
The International Ceramic Artists Network & Ceramics Monthly
Okay so ICAN is like cool and it's an online thing for ~$50 a year BUT if you jump up to ~$109 a year THEN you get the org membership AND subscriptions to Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated - Magazines going back to 1953 and 1998 respectively and that higher membership tier gets you access to their ENTIRE back catalog.
It is so cool to go back through the old magazines and learn from so many different voices. It really is special. HOWEVER: I should note that about 20% of the user submitted tips in Ceramics Monthly will damage your health... generally because of asbestos and excess dust risk. So be mindful.
(some editions can be found on Archive.org for free; more can be found at the Seattle Library - Central Branch).