Painting With A Twist

What Painting With A Twist does

Painting With A Twist is a Mandeville, Louisiana-based franchise company operating the largest U.S. paint-and-sip brand, founded in 2011 and operating 240+ (some sources report 300+) independently owned studio locations across all major U.S. regions. The company sells tickets to guided, step-by-step painting events where participants create artwork under the instruction of approximately 1,000 network artist-instructors while consuming BYOB beverages; events are offered as scheduled public sessions ($40-$63 per seat) or private group bookings starting at $42-$52 per person with 10-12 painter minimums. Its core technology consists of a centralized library of 15,000+ unique painting designs, an online reservation and gift card platform, a Paint Points loyalty engine (100 points per $1 spent), and an Authorize.Net-integrated PCI DSS-compliant payment infrastructure.

The company generates revenue through multiple streams: per-person event ticket fees, private party bookings, initial and ongoing franchise fees/royalties from independently owned studios, sale of Twist at Home DIY paint kits ($30-$100), system-wide gift cards, and an online shop selling ancillary merchandise. It serves four primary customer segments — social groups (girls nights, date nights), corporate teams, milestone celebration parties (birthdays, bachelorettes, baby showers), and families with children (kids camps, family days) — with primary use cases in adult discretionary social entertainment and corporate team building.

Distribution is entirely franchise-based and domestic (United States), with no international footprint disclosed. Brand sub-programs include Painting with a Purpose (a charitable giving program that has donated $5-7M cumulatively to nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer) and Twist at Home. The company completed dual acquisitions of Color Me Mine and Chesapeake Ceramics on 2020-11-09 and installed new leadership in 2025 alongside technology enhancements and expanded event formats. Ownership is private with no disclosed external venture capital or private equity backing in the available data.

Name

Painting With A Twist

Legal name

Painting With A Twist

Website

https://paintingwithatwist.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Painting With A Twist operates the largest U.S. paint-and-sip franchise, running 240+ independently owned studios that host guided BYOB painting events for social groups, corporate teams, families, and celebration parties, supported by an at-home kit line and loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Entertainment Services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510), Photography Studios, Portrait (541921)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Design, Decor & Styling (HSACAAAB)

Keywords

• Paint-and-sip entertainment
• Franchise art studios
• Guided painting events
• Private paint parties
• Kids art camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Mandeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Paint Event Tickets: Per-person fees for guided painting sessions at franchise studio locations. Customers purchase seats at scheduled public events.
2. Private Party Bookings: Per-person fees for exclusive use of studio space for private group events including birthdays, bachelorettes, team building, and corporate events
3. At-Home Paint Kits: Sale of paint kits with canvas, paints, brushes, and video instructions for home painting experiences
4. Franchise Fees: Initial and ongoing franchise fees from independently owned and operated studio locations
5. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards redeemable for painting events at any studio location

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Painting With A Twist operates a franchise network of 240+ independently owned paint-and-sip studios across the United States, offering guided, step-by-step painting events led by local artist instructors. Participants create a finished painting over approximately two hours in a social, BYOB-friendly setting. The core offering spans public paint-and-sip classes, private group and corporate party bookings, kids camps, and take-home paint kits, supported by a centralized library of 15,000+ painting designs.

Product overview

Painting With A Twist is a paint-and-sip franchise offering guided painting events where participants create artwork under professional instruction while socializing with beverages. The core offering consists of public paint-and-sip classes and private group events, supplemented by Kids Camps, Twist at Home DIY paint kits, a Paint Points loyalty rewards program, and a Painting with a Purpose charitable program. The company operates over 240 studio locations across the U.S. with a library of 15,000 unique painting events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Painting with a Purpose: Corporate giving program where each studio partners monthly with local non-profit organizations to raise funds through painting events. Has donated nearly $7 million to charities including Habitat for Humanity, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and Vera Bradley Breast Cancer Foundation.
• Paint Points Rewards
• Twist at Home

Products and services

• Paint-and-Sip Classes and Events Scheduled public painting events where participants follow step-by-step instruction from a local artist to complete a painting in approximately two hours while enjoying beverages. Themed events include girls' nights, date nights, trivia nights, paint-your-pet, and book club events. Sold per-seat to individual consumers.
• Private Paint Parties Customizable private group painting events for birthdays, bachelorette parties, baby showers, holiday celebrations, and corporate team building. Includes private studio room, dedicated artist-instructor, and custom painting selection from the art library. Priced per-person with 2-hour and 3-hour packages.
• Corporate Team Building Events Private corporate paint parties designed as inclusive team building events for workplace groups. Includes a private room, custom artwork selection, and a dedicated artist-instructor. Targets HR, office managers, and team leads seeking non-traditional corporate entertainment.
• Kids Camps Day camps and week-long programs for children during school breaks where campers create different art daily under artist guidance with games and snacks. Includes spring break and summer camp offerings, as well as kids birthday parties and Mommy & Me events.
• Bachelorette Paint Parties Private paint events specifically designed for bachelorette celebrations with custom keepsake paintings and themed artwork from a library of over 10,000 designs. Marketed as an alternative to traditional pre-wedding party activities.
• Twist at Home Paint Kits DIY take-home painting kits containing all necessary supplies — step-by-step video instructions, painting surfaces, paints, brushes, and palette. Available for pickup at studios or with limited shipping. Kit sizes include 16x20 ($38), 11x14 ($30), Wood Board ($47), and a Date Night Package for Two ($100).
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards redeemable for painting events at any of the 240+ studio locations nationwide. Cards have no expiration dates.
• Paint Points Rewards Program Loyalty program where members earn 100 points per $1 spent, redeemable for discounts on future reservations. Tiered rewards from $5 off at 10,000 points up to $45 off at 50,000 points. New accounts receive a 5,000-point bonus.
• Painting with a Purpose Charity Program Charitable giving program where each studio partners monthly with local non-profit organizations to host fundraising painting events. Proceeds from designated events go to partner organizations; total donations reported between $5-7 million to charities including Habitat for Humanity, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.
• Pop In & DIY Walk-in painting option at studios that does not require advance reservation, allowing customers to create art on their own schedule.
• Online Shop E-commerce platform selling painting supplies including kits, wood surfaces, canvas options, scented candles, wine glasses, and pet portrait services.
• Franchise Offering Franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs to own and operate a local paint-and-sip studio under the Painting With A Twist brand. Includes access to the centralized art library, brand marketing, operational support, and a network of 240+ existing studios.

Quantifiable outcome

• $5-7 million raised for charitable nonprofits through Painting with a Purpose program

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly Painting with a Purpose events at franchise studios raise funds for local Habitat for Humanity chapters. Studios donate a portion of event proceeds to support affordable housing initiatives.
• Multiple Sclerosis FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership through the Painting with a Purpose program where franchise studios host fundraising events benefiting the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
• Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast CancercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranchise studios participate in Painting with a Purpose events supporting breast cancer research through the Vera Bradley Foundation.
• Odyssey HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit partnership through Painting with a Purpose program at individual franchise studio locations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Paint Nite: Paint Nite pioneered the local-pub paint-and-sip event format and is a foundational competitor in the category. Comparable audience, pricing model, and step-by-step instruction approach, though historically event-host (not studio-based) in distribution.
• Wine & Design: Wine & Design is one of the largest direct competitors to Painting With A Twist, operating a national paint-and-sip franchise with similar step-by-step guided painting events, BYOB format, and public/private event structure. Closest head-to-head comparable in the franchise paint-and-sip category.
• Muse Paintbar: Muse Paintbar operates paint-and-sip venues combining guided painting instruction with a full bar and restaurant menu. Comparable in offering guided painting events to consumer and corporate groups, though with a more hospitality-forward model than PWT's BYOB studios.

Emerging players

• Board & Brush Creative Studio: Board & Brush is a national franchise of DIY wood sign and home decor workshops, comparable to PWT in franchise model, instructor-led format, and private-party use cases, but differentiated by medium (woodworking/painting vs. canvas painting).
• AR Workshop: AR Workshop is a franchise of hands-on DIY workshops (wood signs, canvas, etc.) led by instructors in a studio setting. Comparable franchise structure, instructor-led format, and team-building/private-party customer base, though focused on home decor projects rather than painting instruction.

Others

• As You Wish Pottery: As You Wish is a paint-your-own-pottery franchise chain offering guided art activities in a studio format. Comparable in franchise model and group-outing use case (kids camps, birthday parties, team building) but operates in an adjacent — not directly competitive — medium (pottery/ceramics).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PaintingwithaTwist
• Facebookfacebook.com/paintingwithatwistcorp
• Instagraminstagram.com/paintingwithatwist
• Pinterestpinterest.com/paintingwithatwist
• Xx.com/pwatcorporate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/painting-with-a-twist

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Painting With A Twist