How To Offer Art and Craft Classes for Adults: 5 Tips & Tools

Creative workshops are in high demand, with many adults looking for opportunities to unwind, learn new skills, and connect with like-minded people. A 2022 survey found that 12% of U.S. adults participated in arts or crafts classes — which means interest in creative learning experiences is still growing. 

For small studios and art businesses, hosting art and craft classes for adults allows instructors to share their skills while fostering a creative community. In-person workshops also help craft store owners attract customers and grow their businesses.

If you want to start hosting adult art and craft classes, this guide covers how to set up your space, promote your workshops, manage registrations, and track whether students become customers — all while using a POS system to keep everything organized.

1. Define Your Class Focus

Before launching art and craft classes for adults, you need to define what you’ll teach and who your students will be. Consider what you’re passionate about and what has a strong local or online interest. Popular niches include: 

• Painting and drawing: Ideal for structured lessons, paint-and-sip events, or open studio sessions 

• Pottery and ceramics: Hands-on and tactile, making them great for interactive workshops 

• Fiber arts (knitting, embroidery, and weaving): Appeals to those interested in slow crafts with more meditative creativity 

• Mixed media and DIY crafting: Covers a variety of creative techniques like collage, scrapbooking, resin art, or upcycled crafts. This category is perfect for seasonal workshops, trend-driven classes, or experimental sessions. 

The best niche is one that balances your expertise with what students want to learn. You also need to think about the skill level of your classes. Beginner lessons appeal to casual customers looking for an outlet, while advanced workshops can command higher prices. 

2. Set Up Your Store for Art and Craft Classes

If your store doubles as a classroom, create a functional space that supports the retail side of your business and provides hands-on learning. Consider adding the following when setting up:

• Dedicated class area: Carve out a section of your store with adjustable tables, comfortable seating, and layered ambient and task lighting. Use modular furniture that can be reconfigured based on class size and activity.

• Storage and accessibility: Install closed cabinetry or rolling carts to house teaching materials, allowing for quick setup and breakdown of classes. Use color-coded containers or labeled drawers to organize supplies by class type, and position these storage solutions along walls or in corners to maintain clear traffic flow for shopping customers.

• Product integration: Create intuitive merchandise zones that complement your class offerings. For example, if you teach knitting workshops, arrange yarn displays with example projects, pattern books, and needle sets within arm’s reach of the teaching area. Use signage to highlight the specific products used during demonstrations to turn class attendees into regular store visitors.

• Point of sale (POS) system setup: Implement an integrated POS solution with a class management feature that handles scheduling, attendance tracking, and participant communications. Train staff to quickly toggle between retail transactions and class registrations, and set up your inventory system to track materials used for teaching separately from general stock.

Turning your retail space into a learning space makes your store more than just a shopping destination. Workshops attract new visitors and give people a meaningful reason to spend more time in your store.

3. Plan Engaging Lesson Structures

Your lessons should keep students engaged, boost their confidence, and leave them with a sense of accomplishment. Happy students are more likely to spread the word about your class or share their achievements on social media. 

The idea is to balance instruction with hands-on practice and creative freedom. But what does this look like? Here’s an idea:

• Class introduction: Start with a brief demonstration or explanation of the technique. Keep it concise so students can quickly move to the interactive part. 

• Practice: Allow students to start working as soon as possible — this is the best way to learn, so avoid spending too much time talking. 

• Feedback and encouragement: Walk around, observe, and offer guidance without taking over students’ work. Help students overcome challenges with positivity and encouragement. 

Structure is important for your classes as a whole, but students should have room to explore their creativity. Develop templates but let students choose their colors, patterns, or themes. Encourage students to personalize their work rather than sticking to a standard model. 

4. Set Fair Pricing and Payment Options

Figuring out how to price your art and craft classes for adults can feel overwhelming, particularly if it’s your first time hosting. Charge too much, and students may hesitate to book; charge too little, and you won’t cover costs. You need to find a price that’s fair to students, while making sure your business remains profitable. 

Use the following step-by-step instructions as an example of how to estimate your class price:

• List your costs: Determine the cost of materials per student and decide on your hourly teaching rate. These expenses form the foundation of your pricing.

• Use the pricing formula: Apply this formula to find the minimum price per student:

(material costs + (your hourly rate × class duration)) ÷ number of students = base price per student.

• Apply the formula to your class: For example, if you’re teaching a two-hour beginner class and materials cost $10 per student, and you want to earn $50 per hour, your total costs will be divided among the number of students.

• Do the math: Using the example above for a six-person class, the calculation is:

($10 × 6) + ($50 × 2) ÷ 6 = $26.67 per student, per class.

Compare your price with competitor rates, factor in demand, and consider offering discounts for multisession packages or premium workshops. Then, adjust pricing based on what makes sense for your business and audience.

After deciding the price per lesson, you need to make registering and paying for classes easy for your attendees. Use an online booking system that accepts debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal for quick transactions, and ask for deposits for multiweek courses to reduce cancellations. 

Your POS system can track how many students purchase materials after attending a workshop, helping you measure class-to-purchase conversion rates. It also allows you to upsell class materials by offering discounted bundles, like a "Starter Clay Kit" for a pottery class at checkout.

5. Promote Your Classes and Retain Students

Getting students to sign up for your classes is just the beginning — keeping them engaged and coming back is just as important. Combining effective promotion and retention strategies helps fill your workshops and turn first-time attendees into regular participants and frequent buyers.

At a minimum, consider the following strategies to market your classes: 

• Network on social media and with local customers: Promote classes on social media and share details on community bulletin boards. Highlight seasonal events like holiday crafting workshops or summer art retreats to generate excitement. 

• Partner with local businesses: Team up with craft stores, libraries, or community centers for cross-promotion opportunities, like a Mother’s Day DIY gift class.

• Offer high-value incentives: Attract new students with beginner discounts and encourage repeat attendance with loyalty perks like reward points, discounted future classes, or exclusive access to advanced workshops. 

• Make the most of your POS system: Support your marketing efforts by using your POS system to track customer data. This allows you to develop targeted promotions and make communication easier. Use it to send automated class reminders, offer discounts to repeat attendees, and analyze which classes generate the most interest so you can refine your promotional strategy.

Returning students depends on the quality of classes. You can encourage repeat customers with referral discounts, progressive courses, and themed classes. Don’t be afraid to ask for student input — questionnaires can be a good way to get honest feedback. 

Turn Your Passion Into Business: How To Offer Art and Craft Classes for Adults

Offering art and craft classes for adults involves a lot more than showing up to instruct students. It requires handling sign-ups, managing materials, processing payments, and marketing the business. Handling these tasks manually can be overwhelming and time-consuming, but admin work is easy with the right tools, like Rain POS. 

Rain POS makes class management easier with online and in-person registration, automated reminders, inventory tracking, and secure payments. Get insights on attendance and revenue while reducing admin work — this makes it easier to run workshops without dealing with manual spreadsheets or missed sign-ups.

Book a demo today for more details on how Rain POS can support your business, help promote your art classes, and turn attendees into regular customers.