The 2026 Holiday Marketing Guide for Arts Organizations

This holiday season, families are planning to spend steadily but thoughtfully. Given the state of the U.S. economy, people are planning to stock up on discounted essentials during Black Friday and cyber week and purchase gifts for loved ones that have outsized value.

And while shoppers plan to use AI to compare products and to find the best deals, many are looking to give gifts that are more old fashioned: screen-free, in-person, and nostalgic. According to PwC's Holiday Outlook 2026 report, "sixty-four percent of consumers say they’re prioritizing screen-free gifts this year, and that number climbs to78% among Gen Z."

This holiday season

64%

of consumers say they’re prioritizing screen-free gifts this year.

That climbs to 78% among Gen Z.

Source: PwC Holiday Outlook 2026

For arts and culture organizations, this creates a golden window for holiday marketing. From seasonal workshops to craft-based date nights to "bring-a-friend" classes to winter markets, arts spaces offer the kind of hands-on experiences people want most right now.

Still, marketing during this time of year can feel daunting. McKinsey reports that 45% of shoppers plan to have started their holiday shopping by late October, and most of their spending will happen between late November and early December. It’s a tight window, and if you’re already juggling program delivery, year-end reports, and next-season planning, it can feel like one more thing on an already full plate.

This guide is for you. Inside, you’ll find six timely strategies, drawn from real arts organizations and marketing experts, to help you capture attention this season and turn holiday curiosity into lasting engagement.

1. Package your classes as giftable experiences

What do you get the person on your list who has everything? An activity. A class, workshop, or creative outing can become a gift that lives on in the memories it creates.

Gift cards and certificates turn your classes into ready-to-give offers. At Pittsburgh Glass Center, buyers can pick up a gift card in-store or purchase one online for instant delivery to a recipient’s inbox. On their gift cards page on their website, they "package" some of their classes and workshops to help the purchaser choose the right workshop and price point for the person they're shopping for.

Have a foodie in your life? They might love the 2-hour charcuterie plate workshop, valued at $115. Want to get an experience for yourself and your bestie? The 2-hour Beads workshop is a great fit.

By making their gift card offerings concrete, Pittsburgh Glass increases the likelihood that someone will choose one of their gift cards as a holiday gift as opposed to a different gift card.

The Des Moines Community Playhouse focuses on flexibility with their gift certificates, which can be delivered via mail or email and are redeemable for anything from youth classes to main stage tickets.

Try a few of these approaches to make your own programs gift-ready:

• Give customers multiple ways to buy and redeem gift cards. Offer both digital and physical options for convenience, and allow redemption across programs so recipients can explore your organization on their own terms.
• Group classes by theme or price range. Pittsburgh Glass Center does this brilliantly with categories like “For the Foodie,” “Bring Your BFF,” and “For Kids & Teens.” The structure makes buying simple, even for someone unfamiliar with their programs.
• Add a “Gift this Class” button or note to your listings. Some buyers may not immediately see classes as gifts, so a clear visual cue helps them make that connection.
• Elevate the presentation. A printable certificate, branded envelope, or small keepsake makes the gift feel more personal. 

2. Position relevant classes as an opportunity to "craft a gift"

The push for slow, anti-digital, and nostalgic extends to the experience of giving a gift as much as it extends to the gift itself. For craft organizations specifically, position your classes where students create a tangible object as the opportunity to create a gift.

The gift giver gets to spend a slow few hours connecting with others and creating a gift by hand and the receiver gets something custom and made with love. Plus, the receiver is exposed to the craft itself and might get curious about your classes for themselves. Here's a subtle example from San Francisco Center for the Book:

Woodstock Arts is more explicit, offering a full 8-week workshop called "Handmade Holidays" where participants explore different crafts and have multiple opportunities to make handmade gifts from October to mid-December.

Consider these tactics to position your classes and workshops as gift-creation opportunities:

• Showcase the object. Show people what they'll create at the end of a class with imagery. Add language to your class title and description that positions the object as a potential gift. Add "Make-a-Gift" in the class title for specific classes during the holiday shopping window (late October to early December), for example, and track if this language boosts signups.
• Position your class as an antidote to hectic holiday shopping. Make the "make a gift" experience appealing to shoppers. Share how they'll be able to slow down, make something with care, and give themselves the gift of craft while they're creating a gift.
• Marketing idea! Send follow-up marketing to students who attend "make-a-gift" classes with special offers that encourage them to bring a friend to a similar class. If the gift receiver is curious about the craft, a special promo could get them in the door and expose you to a new student.

Note: We recommend testing this approach with a small number of your classes vs. positioning all of your classes a "make-a-gift". Some of your patrons will just want to experience the class for themselves, others may want to gift the class itself. Think of this positioning as a category and then watch how the category performs.

3. Optimize your listings for search and large language models

Even the best classes can go unnoticed if people (or search algorithms) can’t find them. Google has long been a starting point for discovery, but that’s changing fast. According to McKinsey's report, nearly half (46%) of consumers plan to use AI tools in their holiday shopping journey, versus 33% last year.

As families search for gift ideas and things to do around the holidays, using the right keywords, content structure, and language can help your listings appear in both search results and AI recommendations. PwC's report indicates shoppers aren't yet experts in prompting AI, particularly across generations. Here are a few examples:

This may be good news for arts organizations still working to master AI discoverability. Value is this season's primary currency so organizations should focus on benefits-driven language. Describe and show what participants gain (e.g., quality time, creative expression, learning a new skill) to speak to what shoppers are really looking for this season. If possible, weave in personalization that mirrors how people search for gifts: For the coffee-lover in your life, they'll get to make their own mug in this beginner-friendly hand-building workshop.

Here’s how to make your listings stand out:

• Pair the outcome with the medium. “Make Your Own Blown Glass Ornament” is stronger than “Glass Ornament Workshop.”
• Lead with the value. Start your description with what’s in it for them: “Create a keepsake together in this beginner-friendly session.”
• Structure the key details. Use short bullets for materials, duration, and pickup dates. These are easy for families to skim and search engines to index.‍
• Include familiar search terms. Phrases like “family holiday activity” paired with your city name will help your classes match common searches and appear in local results.
• Play with personalization. "For the X-lover" "A perfect gift for the Z person in your life" — consider adding phrases to your holiday season class listings that mirror how people search for gifts.

For more on how to optimize for AI search in general, check out the resources from our friends at Capacity Interactive like this blog on Google's AI search.

4. Program short, seasonal workshops that fit busy holiday schedules

The holidays don’t leave much room for long commitments. People want festive programming they can squeeze in between shopping trips, school breaks, and family plans. That’s where short, themed workshops shine. 

Virginia's ARTFactory offers seasonal, one-off workshops geared toward preparing for and enjoying the holiday season. Their Print and Wrap: Handmade Holiday Paper workshop, for example, takes place over two hours on a single Monday evening in early December. It's early enough in the holiday season that participants can use the paper they make to wrap gifts. Plus, the workshop length and duration account for busy holiday schedules.

Springfield Little Theatre's School’s Out Workshops offers something similar. These full-day “play-in-a-day” sessions keep kids active and give parents a creative childcare option when school’s closed.

Here’s how to design your own short, seasonal sessions:

• Create one to two-session winter workshops. Quick, approachable formats appeal to beginners and families who can’t commit to multi-week classes.
• Include timely keywords. Terms like “Winter,” “Holiday,” or “New Year” make your listings feel more relevant and help audiences find them faster through search or social media.
• Keep registration simple. Include materials and clearly outline pickup or completion details so people have all the necessary information upfront. 
• Build urgency. Limited seats or seasonal themes like ornament making encourage faster decisions, keeping classes full during a season when attention spans are short.

5. Host open houses and pop-up events to drive discovery

Few things spark curiosity like an open door. During the holidays, open houses and pop-up events give people a firsthand feel for your organization, which can encourage them to register for a class or return later. They also give your community a tangible way to support a local organization. 

This holiday season, U.S. consumers are predicted to spend a record $118 billion at small businesses, which accounts for roughly 42% of their planned holiday spending. Community markets and winter showcases are a timely way to highlight your students’ and artists’ work and introduce them to your organization at a moment of increased attention.

At North Bennet Street School, the annual Open House and Winter Market draws visitors with student demos, behind-the-scenes tours, and handmade goods for sale. It’s equal parts celebration and recruitment, making it an easy entry point for new learners. 

Red Mountain Theatre hosts a Holiday Spectacular, bringing together 75 members of their youth Performing Ensembles with local theatre professionals for a night of song and dance to celebrate the season. Their Performing Ensembles are a cornerstone of the education program; the Spectacular serves as a showcase and a celebration of students' work and talent—and an introduction to the program for any potential students.

A few simple adjustments can help your events turn visitors into future students:

• Host free or low-cost “make-and-take” events. A short, tactile project gives guests a feel for your classes and a keepsake they can show off or gift later.
• Pair open houses with markets or performances. Cross-promotion attracts both shoppers and future students, boosting foot traffic and exposure.
• Capture attendee info for future outreach. A quick QR sign-up or tablet form helps you grow your contact list for future classes and campaigns.
• Offer same-day sign-up perks. Early-bird rates or priority access to a popular class nudge visitors to take the next step while excitement is high.

6. Extend your campaigns beyond December

Families are still looking for ways to spend time together during the quieter days between the winter holidays and early January. According to a Meta survey, 41% of consumers say their shopping continues after the holiday season. And last year, Google searches for “family things to do” peaked after Christmas. 

Keeping your marketing campaigns active beyond December helps you stay visible while competitors go quiet. You’ll reach families looking for last-minute activities, gift certificate holders ready to redeem, and new audiences planning their New Year routines. The key is to treat this window as an extension of your season rather than the end of it.

Make the most of the post-holiday period with these tips:

• Keep ads and listings live until New Years. Many people have more time, and less noise competing for their attention, after Christmas.
• Focus on the post-holiday lull. Promote family workshops, intro-level classes, or short intensives as ways to recharge or reconnect after the holidays.
• Lean into storytelling. Testimonials, photos, and quotes from the holiday season can fuel your January social posts and newsletters and keep your programs visible. ‍
• Re-engage gift recipients. Send a quick “What to Try First” email featuring two or three upcoming classes that fit the season, plus a direct registration link.

Take the next step in your holiday marketing

It’s easy to get swept up in the holiday rush and lose sight of what this season is really about: connection. The classes, events, and workshops you offer give families a way to spend time together and make lasting memories.

Start small this week. Refresh a class description, plan a short winter workshop, or add a “Gift This Class” note to your January catalog. Small steps now can make a big difference when the season gets busy.

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