What would I need to set up a Craft Workshop/Classes business?

[NotAChocolateRaisin]

For a long while I have wanted to set up a business providing classes and workshops in arts and crafts. I have the experience, knowledge and means to get the equipment etc but was wondering about the nitty gritty business things I would need.

I was waiting for a few years until OH and built our new house where we would also have a large art studio/unit seperate from the house which I could set up from but after talking to him he thinks I would do well with renting out a town hall or the like for the evenings/weekends. The costs therefore being limited to the times of the actually classes rather the letting out a whole industrial unit.

What do i need? Insurance, obviously....

I would think about the following mainly financial aspects (as an accountant) and I apologise if you've already got them sorted:

• how many people in one session could you realistically teach bearing mind that they will need varying levels of help and would this cover the costs of rent and materials ?
• are you providing all the materials and equipment, have you enough for the numbers at the session?
• research the costs of any other classes nearby and factor in materials, refreshments (I like a 'free' tea/coffee). What would you offer that was different ?
• if you don't fill the classes could you cope financially ? Also, you will need to cover setting up and clearing away as part of the rental time.
• try to keep the business craft equipment and costs separate from personal.

Good luck

Thanks, Campervan. Had thought about most of those but seperately not as a list so I'll copy and paste with answers to have it all down!

I'm glad it my ideas were useful - if you need anything else, let me know.

i had a thought (and again apologies if you've already considered it)- could you offer taster sessions or small group workshops in people's houses ?
You wouldn't have the rental overheads or time constraints providing there was enough room for the craft.

I went to an art course recently that was held in a school art dept at the weekend, not sure how feasible that would be as a venue though?

Hi where abouts are you as I have some premises!

I'm thinking about this too, next year. I'm in Surrey & there is already one place offering this kind of thing, but it's in a very different part of the county to me, so am hoping there is room for another.

I wondered if it might be of interest to hen parties too.

Where are you NotA?

Probably better to get people to pay for, say 5 classes at a time, rather than pay as they go.

A friend of mine teaches yoga and did pay as you go at first, but some weeks she didn't have enough to cover the rent.

Also, if people have paid, they will be more committed!

I do this at a friend's tea room/craft cafe. It was quite simple for me as I was already self-employed (craft business) with insurance, etc. Also it doesn't take much of my time as she handles all the booking process. The money is split between us as she provides the room/lighting/heating/tea/coffee/cake and I provide the tuition. It also means people who go in the cafe see the courses available so there's not much advertising to be done.

One thing she found was that charging a deposit was necessary to stop people pulling out last minute because other stuff had come up. We tend to wait until we have about 5 names of interested people before setting a date so there's more chance of the course having decent numbers on it.

I'm in Leiestershire at the moment so will be based here. There are a lot of town halls/church halls available that also have toilets and kitchenettes which would be good.

How much do you think is fair for a class? I'm thinking of felt making, purse making, soap making (??? for that one because it's hard) etc

Will pm you

I am setting up an arts and class club where I live and will hire a local church hall at reasonable cost to get the group started.
I want people to come and watch taster sessions but also to bring their own crafts and show others what they are making.

I intend to hold exhibitions of wook of the group where items can be shown or brought. I have links to a local craft market where we can also have a stall on a regular basis.

It will be a way of people to try new crafts and to extend their crafting knowledge.

Really looking forward to it. Any ideas about insurance though??

I know it's an old tread, but does anyone know if I need to be an adult educator (as well as having the qualification in the specific craft) to run workshop? My friend has a pottery qualification, but no teaching qualification. Could she still run pottery workshops?

I am thinking about setting up a local group of artists/crafters because I feel isolated. There doesn't seem to be a group of anyone interested in the same kind of things as me, near me. But there's an immense amount of new houses recently gone up and loads more being built - so there must be at least 1 other person interested... surely? So I thought I might need to start a group. There ARE grours doing knit ting sewing embroidery and crochet type crafting and there is a very successful group doing oils, acrylics and watercolours etc. I have done that kind of art and still use acrylics but not so much a straight canvas painting, I use them in different ways on different surfaces. From greyboard through polymer clay to tyvek etc.
I'm just not sure how to start such a group.