Solo workshops mean carrying all the audience, all the organisation and all the risk. Co-hosting with another artisan flips the economics: your customer pool doubles (each brings their own), risk halves, and the attendee experience gets richer (two crafts instead of one). It works when the two roles truly complement each other, not compete. Here's how to structure it.
4 co-hosted workshop formats that work
1. Themed workshop — "the table day"
A potter and a cook teach together: morning, throw a serving plate; afternoon, cook on it. Attendees leave with the plate and the dinner. Works well for couples/gifts: average price 120-180 EUR/person because the experience is complete.
2. Modular workshop — "build a complete bag"
Leather + tailoring: one teaches leather cutting, the other industrial machine sewing. 1-2 days, price 150-250 EUR. Sells well because doing it solo would mean two separate courses.
3. Open studio — two workshops, attendees rotate
Two artisans in the same city open their studios the same afternoon: a single ticket gives access to both (e.g. 1.5h ceramics + 1.5h glass). Light format, price 40-60 EUR/person, great for tourists.
4. Masterclass — main artisan + guest
A local artisan invites an external guest (e.g. an established Master). Price jumps to 200-400 EUR/person because the guest is the value. Run 2-3 times a year max to keep it special.
Splitting revenue (why 50/50 rarely works)
50/50 sounds fair but often isn't. The host bears costs (utilities, raw materials, cleanup, parking) the guest doesn't. Suggested calculation:
- Subtract direct workshop costs from total revenue (raw materials, consumables, catering): these go to the host.
- Split the rest by teaching time (e.g. 60% who teaches 3h vs 40% who teaches 2h).
- If one partner brought the marketing (social, photos, mailing list), add a 10-15% market fee on top of their split.
Make it real with Handsome
On Handsome you can publish workshops as solo artisan, but collaboration with fellow Makers is encouraged: we see artisans from different cities running "hosted weekend" workshops swapping locations. Registration is free: once inside, you have the public directory of all Italian Makers by craft and city.
Domande frequenti
- Can I co-host with an artisan from another city?
- Yes, but logistics are heavier: the host pays direct costs, the visitor pays travel. It makes sense at a premium price point (150+ EUR/person).
- What if one of the two artisans doesn't show up?
- Run the workshop with the one present, partial refund to attendees (e.g. 30%). The absent artisan covers the refund. Put it in the initial agreement.
