Muse Paintbar
Muse Paintbar is a US East Coast paint-and-sip entertainment operator running 24 corporate-owned studios from Portland, ME to Atlanta, GA. It serves individuals, social groups, families, and corporate teams with guided painting sessions, private events, virtual paint-and-sip, on-site team-building, and a DTC merchandise line.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Muse Paintbar does
Muse Paintbar is a US East Coast paint-and-sip entertainment operator founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York. The company runs 24 corporate-owned studio locations spanning 11 states from Portland, ME to Atlanta, GA, each featuring a bar, kitchen, and multiple studios that host both public and private painting events. Its core product is guided, step-by-step painting instruction led by 300+ artist instructors across the network, using proprietary Lumify lightboard technology that projects designs onto canvas to reduce the skill barrier for beginners. Sessions are organized into themed formats (Classic Canvas, Date Night, Girls Night, Family Day, Paint Your Pet, Lumify, Open Studio) and priced between $29 and $57 per public ticket.
The business generates revenue through four primary streams: per-seat public session ticket sales ($29–$57), private group event bookings priced $50–$70 per person with a minimum of ten painters, on-site food and beverage sales through the in-studio bar and kitchen, and custom painting commissions ($150 flat fee). The company also expanded beyond the studio footprint in 2020 to offer virtual paint-and-sip events with shipped DIY kits and on-demand instructional videos, and in 2023 launched Made by Muse, a direct-to-consumer merchandise line of branded paint supplies illustrated by in-house artists. Corporate team-building (in-studio, offsite, and virtual) is a deliberate segment, evidenced by a roster of named enterprise and education customers including MIT, Liberty Mutual, Geico, Capital One, TD Bank, Deloitte, TripAdvisor, Red Hat, and Gucci.
The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, with reservations made via the musepaintbar.com website, phone bookings (888-607-6873), and walk-ins, supplemented by an inside sales function for party planning and corporate contracts. Distribution is geographically constrained to the East Coast, supported by a multi-channel digital marketing presence across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and email. The company operates as a privately held entity with no parent company or public listing; its only disclosed funding to date is a $9,000,000 round from Chatham Capital in March 2018.
Muse Paintbar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Muse Paintbar
- Legal name
- Muse Paintbar
- Website
- https://musepaintbar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Muse Paintbar is a US East Coast paint-and-sip entertainment operator running 24 corporate-owned studios from Portland, ME to Atlanta, GA. It serves individuals, social groups, families, and corporate teams with guided painting sessions, private events, virtual paint-and-sip, on-site team-building, and a DTC merchandise line.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Muse Paintbar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Paint-and-Sip Entertainment Services
- NAICS
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD), Creator Events & Experiences (Trips, Houses, Retreats) (MPAAAHAN)
Keywords
Where Muse Paintbar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices27 records
Markets served
Muse Paintbar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Public Session Tickets: Ticket sales for open public painting sessions (individual seats). Customers purchase seats for guided painting events ranging from $29-$57 depending on session type and time.
- Private Event Bookings: Group bookings for private parties (birthdays, corporate, bachelorettes, baby showers, family outings). Priced per person ($50-$70 for packages) with minimum group size of 10 required.
- Food & Beverage Sales: On-site bar (wines, beers, cocktails, non-alcoholic) and kitchen serving snacks and bites. Food and drink tickets included in some packages; additional purchases available during events. Per liquor license, no BYOB allowed.
- Custom Painting Design: Custom painting commissions for private events (flat fee of $150). Customers can request mascots, family crests, corporate logos, or sentimental landscapes.
- Virtual Events & Paint-at-Home: Virtual paint-and-sip events with supplies shipped to participants. On-demand instructional videos available. Muse branded paint supplies sold direct-to-consumer.
- Merchandise - Made by Muse: Custom line of products illustrated by in-house artists, launched in 2023. Includes paint supplies and branded merchandise sold through online shop.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Essential Package - Private Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Package - Private Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Build Your Own - Private Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids' Birthday Party |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Break Promotion |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Classic Painting - Public Sessions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lumify Sessions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Paint Your Pet |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Muse Paintbar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Muse Paintbar runs guided paint-and-sip experiences at 24 corporate-owned studios along the US East Coast, where artist instructors lead guests step-by-step through canvas painting while they enjoy wine, beer, cocktails, and food from an on-site bar and kitchen. In addition to public ticketed sessions, the company offers private group events (10+ guests), corporate team-building, offsite events at client venues, and virtual paint parties with shipped supplies, supported by proprietary Lumify lightboard technology and an in-house art library.
Product overview
Muse Paintbar operates a paint-and-sip entertainment business with a portfolio of experience-based products. The core offering consists of public painting sessions and private group events, complemented by virtual events, at-home DIY kits, and a merchandise line. The company hosts approximately 15,000 events annually across 24 brick-and-mortar locations along the east coast. Additional offerings include a rewards loyalty program, full bar and kitchen service at all studios, and proprietary Lumify lightboard technology for guided painting experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Public Paint & Sip Events
Quantifiable outcome
- 15,000 events hosted per year
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Muse Paintbar
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Muse Paintbar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Muse Paintbar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Paycom (HR/Payroll System)minorUses Paycom's HR and payroll system for employee hiring and management. Job applications processed through Paycom's applicant tracking system.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Muse Paintbar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Color Me Mine: Color Me Mine operates a large nationwide franchise network of paint-your-own-pottery studios serving families, date-night customers, and parties. Comparable to Muse through the casual creative-entertainment category and party-event revenue stream, but a different medium (ceramics) and child/family skew.
Direct peers
- Painting with a Twist: Painting with a Twist is one of the original and largest paint-and-sip franchise chains in the U.S., offering guided public and private painting sessions with BYOB. Directly comparable to Muse Paintbar on core offering (guided painting events), target market (couples, groups, corporate), and revenue model (per-seat ticket + private event bookings).
- Bottle & Bottega: Bottle & Bottega runs studio painting experiences with wine alongside private party and corporate event programming. Comparable to Muse in the in-studio paint-and-sip experience, pricing structure, and event-driven GTM including team-building and bachelorette parties.
- Pinot's Palette: Pinot's Palette operates a national franchise network of paint-and-sip studios with public classes, private parties, and corporate events. Closely matches Muse's studio-based guided painting format, party package structure, and franchise-driven geographic expansion model.
- Wine & Design: Wine & Design is a paint-and-sip franchise offering public sessions, private parties, and at-home kits. Directly overlaps with Muse on the BYOB/public-ticket/private-event revenue stack and similar customer segments including date nights and corporate team-building.
- The Painted Pour: The Painted Pour is a paint-and-sip concept emphasizing craft beverage pairings alongside guided painting classes. Closely aligned with Muse on the dual-anchor (art + bar) experience, fixed-session model, and group/private party structure.
- Board & Brush Creative Studio: Board & Brush is a wood-sign DIY workshop franchise where guests follow guided instruction to build a finished piece, with beer and wine available on-site. Overlaps with Muse in the guided-instructor-workshop format, group/private event model, and bar-augmented revenue, though the medium (wood vs. canvas) differs.
- Sip & Paint Studios: Sip & Paint Studios runs independent and franchised paint-and-sip venues offering public classes and private parties. Direct format, pricing, and audience overlap with Muse Paintbar's core experience-based offering.
Emerging players
- AR Workshop: AR Workshop offers instructor-led DIY home décor workshops with on-site wine, sold via a multi-location franchise. Directly comparable in the workshop-plus-bar format and private event programming, though focusing on wood and lifestyle décor projects rather than canvas painting.
Regional players
- Uncorked Canvas: Uncorked Canvas is a regional paint-and-sip operator offering guided sessions, private events, and team-building workshops. Mirrors Muse's product set and customer base with a smaller, geographically concentrated footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Muse Paintbar social profiles
Digital presenceMuse Paintbar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Muse Paintbar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Muse Paintbar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Muse Paintbar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Muse Paintbar
What does Muse Paintbar do?
Muse Paintbar runs guided paint-and-sip experiences at 24 corporate-owned studios along the US East Coast, where artist instructors lead guests step-by-step through canvas painting while they enjoy wine, beer, cocktails, and food from an on-site bar and kitchen. In addition to public ticketed sessions, the company offers private group events (10+ guests), corporate team-building, offsite events at client venues, and virtual paint parties with shipped supplies, supported by proprietary Lumify lightboard technology and an in-house art library.
Is Muse Paintbar a public or private company?
Muse Paintbar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Muse Paintbar founded?
Muse Paintbar was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Muse Paintbar based?
Muse Paintbar is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Muse Paintbar make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Public Session Tickets are the primary driver. The others are private Event Bookings, food & Beverage Sales, custom Painting Design, virtual Events & Paint-at-Home and merchandise - Made by Muse.
Who are Muse Paintbar's main competitors?
Color Me Mine is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Painting with a Twist, Bottle & Bottega, Pinot's Palette, Wine & Design, The Painted Pour, Board & Brush Creative Studio and Sip & Paint Studios. AR Workshop is listed as an emerging player. Uncorked Canvas is listed as a regional player.
Does Muse Paintbar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Muse Paintbar.
What industry is Muse Paintbar in?
Muse Paintbar's product category is Paint-and-Sip Entertainment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAGAA, Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration), with a secondary code of EDAMAAAD, Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media). Its NAICS code is 71151 and its SIC code is 7330.