Paint and sip

The paint and sip industry is a set of experience-based businesses that hire professional artists to provide step-by-step instructions to reproduce a pre-selected work of art while they drink wine or other beverages. When class attendees finish, they get to keep their creations.
These classes typically focus on painting as a fun activity for relieving stress, rather than as a technical skill requiring practice like the classes at an atelier or an art school. Alcohol is used to reduce inhibitions and "overthinking" in order to make the creative process feel easier.
Paint and sip studios are mostly franchises, and the industry has steadily increased in popularity since 2012.
The popularity of paint and sip companies among potential franchise owners is commonly attributed to the drive of professionals with marketing or business experience to "get out of Corporate America". Furthermore, the "party atmosphere" of paint and sip businesses, as well as the lack of a requirement to be "artistically savvy", are seen as draws for professionals with no background in the arts who want to make a career change.
The typical paint and sip business offers group painting classes that last for 2–3 hours. Customers are encouraged to bring their own beverages (BYOB), or purchase them if the studio has a liquor license.
The classes are heavily marketed to women as a "girls' night out" experience.
In 2002, Wendy Lovoy began hosting painting classes for kids and adults at her studio outside of Birmingham, Alabama. She noticed that the adults were taking too long to finish their paintings. Lovoy observed, "[The adults] were nervous about making them perfect. They couldn't get out of their own heads." Her business, Sips ’N Strokes, was the first to establish the BYOB painting class format.
In 2007, Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney founded Painting with a Twist in Mandeville, Louisiana. Painting with a Twist acquired rival franchise Bottle & Bottega in 2018. In 2020, Painting with a Twist bought Color Me Mine (a paint-your-own pottery franchise) and Chesapeake Ceramics (a ceramics supplier), forming the parent company Twist Brands and making it a $100 million company. In 2015, it cost roughly $100,000 to open a Painting with a Twist franchise.
In 2009, Beth Willis, Charles Willis, and Craig Ceccanti founded Pinot's Palette in Houston, Texas. The company started franchising in 2010, offering franchisees three different formats for the business — a BYOB model, a bar model, and a retail studio model. In 2015, it cost $80,000–$170,000 to open a Pinot's Palette franchise.
In 2010, Harriet Mills founded Wine and Design in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company started franchising in 2011. In 2015, it cost $35,000–$83,000 to open a Wine and Design franchise.
In 2012, Dan Hermann and Sean McGrail founded Paint Nite in Boston, Massachusetts. Unlike other paint and sip companies, Paint Nite operates out of already existing bars and local venues through a licensing business model, not a franchising model. Therefore, they have no franchise fees but offer a revenue share model instead.
PopUp Painting is a social painting and entertainment company, established in 2013 in London, UK. They host Sip & Paint events in various restaurants and bars across the UK. As of April 2024, They would have been running Paint and Sip events for 11 years, are based in 10 cities in the UK and would have painted with more than 80k guests. PopUp Painting events are led by professional artists who guide participants step-by-step through the process of creating their own masterpieces. They are designed to be fun and accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of artistic ability, and are often accompanied by themed music and drinks, making them enjoyable immersive events and a popular choice for date nights, hen parties, and corporate team-building events. In 2021 PopUp Painting opened up its bar called the London Art Bar here they host many of their London Sip and Paint events as well as other enjoyable experiences. The London Art Bar offers an immersive space that celebrates the creative vibrant art & social scene of London.
In 2020, during the covid pandemic, Polina Burková, Egor Nefedov and Jaroslav Kevin Peterka founded the experiential painting ArtMoment in the Czech Republic.
In Barcelona's Gracia district redefines art education with its diverse curriculum that appeals to both beginners and advanced artists. Specializing in acrylic painting, it offers courses in traditional and fluorescent techniques, emphasizing creativity and individual expression. Founded in 2022, the academy quickly became a cultural hub, fostering a community of artists and enthusiasts through workshops, exhibitions, and collaborative projects. Among its innovative offerings, the "paint and sip" classes stand out, blending the enjoyment of wine with painting in a relaxed atmosphere, making art accessible and enjoyable for all. Wine Gogh Academy is more than an educational institution; it's a movement towards democratizing art, proving that y knows no bounds.
Because the format of paint-and-sip classes depends on how new the experience is, it can be hard for businesses in this field to get customers to come back. To address this challenge, many businesses plan themed events, including holiday, pet portrait painting sessions, nudist male model nights for bachelorette parties and singles nights, and erotic nights for couples.
As for many other public gathering spaces, paint and sip companies faced waning interest and significant financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By November 2020, the number of Painting with a Twist franchises decreased from 350 to below 300 due to rolling economic shutdowns. Because of this, many of these businesses also hold online "paint and sip parties".