Teaching an art class can be a great way to earn additional income, connect with your community, and share something you genuinely enjoy doing.
You also don't need to open an entire art school to get started. A successful class might be eight people gathered around tables for a Saturday afternoon workshop. It could be a weekly class at your local community center, a summer program for kids, or a more advanced course for artists who want to develop a particular skill.
If you've thought about teaching art classes but aren't sure where to begin, here are some of the biggest decisions you'll need to make.
1. Decide What You Want to Teach
Start with the skills you already have.
What do you enjoy making? What are you particularly good at? More importantly, what could you teach someone else to do?
You don't necessarily need to be a world-class expert. You simply need enough knowledge and experience to confidently guide your students through the project or skill you're teaching.
- Depending on your experience, you might offer classes in:
- Painting or watercolor
- Drawing and illustration
- Pottery and ceramics
- Printmaking
- Jewelry making
- Fiber arts, knitting, or crochet
- Photography
- Woodworking
- Mixed media
- Seasonal crafts
Try to get more specific than simply offering a "Painting Class." A focused class gives potential students a much better idea of what they're signing up for.
For example, Beginner Watercolor Landscapes is easier to understand—and probably easier to market—than Watercolor Class.
2. Decide Who Your Class Is For
Before planning the details of your class, picture the person you want to attend. Or consider doing some research.
Are you teaching young kids? Teenagers? Adults who haven't picked up a paintbrush since high school? Experienced artists who want to learn a new technique?
Your audience will influence nearly every other decision you make.
A kids' art class may need shorter projects, more breaks, additional supervision, and inexpensive materials that can handle a little chaos. A beginner adult workshop may need plenty of encouragement and step-by-step instruction. An advanced class might be longer, smaller, and focused heavily on technique.
Be clear about the skill level, too. If absolutely no experience is necessary, say so! "No experience required" can make your class much less intimidating to someone trying something new.
3. Give Your Class a Theme
People often aren't looking for "an art class." They're looking for an interesting experience.
Giving your class a specific theme makes it easier for someone to imagine themselves attending.
Instead of Drawing Class, try Urban Sketching for Beginners.
Instead of Kids' Art, try Under the Sea Art Camp.
Instead of Pottery Workshop, try Make Your Own Ceramic Mug.
Themes can revolve around a finished project, technique, season, holiday, subject, or experience. They also give you something concrete to use in your photos, class description, social media posts, and other marketing.
4. Decide Between a One-Time Workshop or a Multi-Session Class
Not every subject requires a six-week course.
In fact, if you're teaching your first class, a one-time workshop can be an excellent place to start. It's easier for both you and your students to commit to a single Saturday afternoon than the next eight Tuesday evenings.
One-time workshops work especially well when students can complete a project or learn the basics of a technique in one sitting.
Multi-session classes make more sense when skills build upon one another. Drawing, wheel throwing, photography, and other subjects may benefit from students practicing between sessions and returning for additional instruction.
You can always start with a workshop and expand it into a longer course if students want more.
5. Figure Out How Long Each Class Should Be
Think realistically about how much time your project requires—and then give yourself some extra room.
You'll need time to welcome everyone, explain the project, demonstrate techniques, answer questions, clean up, and deal with the inevitable student who needs another 15 minutes to finish.
A simple workshop might last 60–90 minutes, while a more involved art class could easily run two or three hours. Classes for younger children may need to be shorter.
Don't try to cram too much into a single class. It's usually better for students to leave feeling successful than to race through the final third of a project.
6. Decide How Many Students You Can Handle
More students means more registration revenue, but it doesn't necessarily mean a better class.
Think about how much individual attention your students will need. If you're teaching a technique that requires significant hands-on assistance, eight students might keep you busier than you expect.
Your physical space and equipment will also create limits. You might have 20 people interested in a pottery class, but if you only have eight pottery wheels, you probably have an eight-person class.
For your first few classes, err on the side of a smaller group. Once you've taught the class a few times, you'll have a much better idea of what you can comfortably handle.
7. Find a Place to Hold Your Class
You don't necessarily need your own studio.
There may already be organizations in your community with underused classrooms, meeting rooms, or creative spaces. Consider contacting:
- Community centers
- Libraries
- Churches
- Schools
- Art centers and galleries
- Makerspaces
- Parks and recreation departments
- Coffee shops or breweries with private event spaces
- Local businesses with meeting rooms
When evaluating a location, think beyond whether there are enough chairs. Do you need sinks? Large tables? Good lighting? Ventilation? Electrical outlets? Accessible entrances? Easy parking?
Ask how the space charges, too. Some locations may charge a flat rental fee, while others may be willing to partner with you for a percentage of registration revenue.
Once you establish that your classes consistently draw students, you may find it much easier to establish ongoing relationships with local venues.
8. Figure Out What to Charge
One of the easiest mistakes to make is undercharging.
Your students aren't just paying for the hour or two that you're standing in front of the class. They're paying for your expertise, preparation, materials, equipment, space, setup, cleanup, registration costs, and the time you've spent developing the project.
Start by calculating your actual costs.
If materials cost $12 per student, don't accidentally price a two-hour workshop at $20 because "$20 sounds reasonable."
Consider your fixed costs as well. If the room costs $100 to rent whether six or 12 students attend, that needs to be built into your pricing.
Then make sure you're actually paying yourself.
For example, imagine you're offering a class for 10 students. Your materials cost $10 per student, the room costs $100, and you want to earn $300 for your preparation and teaching.
That's already $500—or $50 per student—before accounting for payment processing, marketing, or other expenses.
Charging $25 because you're worried $50 "sounds expensive" would turn a successful, sold-out class into a financial loss.
You are providing something valuable. Price accordingly!
9. Make Registration Easy
Once you've created your class, you need an easy way for people to sign up.
Avoid managing registrations through a collection of emails, text messages, spreadsheets, checks, and "I'll bring you cash on Saturday" promises.
Class registration software like ClassDuo gives you one place to create your class, share the registration page, collect student information, accept registrations, and keep track of who's attending.
Instead of telling someone to email you if they're interested, you can send them directly to a page where they can see the details and register.
That also means you don't have to spend your time manually maintaining a list of attendees—which becomes increasingly important as you offer more classes.
10. Market Your Class
You don't need a giant advertising budget to fill a small art class. Start with the people and communities most likely to be interested.
Create a simple image or flyer featuring a great example of what students will make. Post it to Instagram and Facebook. Share it with relevant neighborhood and community groups. Ask the venue hosting your class if they'll promote it to their audience.
You can also reach out to local organizations whose audiences overlap with yours. A kids' art program might be relevant to parent groups, schools, homeschool communities, or local family newsletters. An advanced photography workshop could be promoted through local photography groups.
Most importantly, show people what they're going to experience or make.
A photo of a beautiful finished project accompanied by "You can make this!" is often much more compelling than a graphic containing a giant block of text.
And don't wait until the day before the class to start promoting it. Give people enough time to discover the class, check their calendars, invite a friend, and register.
Start Small and Learn as You Go
Your first class doesn't need to be perfect.
Start with a subject you know well, a manageable group of students, and a project you're confident you can teach. Afterward, ask students what they enjoyed and what they'd like to learn next.
Your first eight-person workshop could eventually become a monthly class, a six-week course, a summer camp, or an entire calendar of creative programs.
The hardest part may simply be putting the first class on the calendar.
Once you're ready, ClassDuo can help you get your classes online, accept registrations, and spend less time managing spreadsheets and sign-up lists—so you can spend more time teaching.
