Have you ever wished you had a few more hands during your art lessons, or someone to bounce creative ideas off of?

If that sounds familiar, an Art Co-Op might be exactly what your summer needs.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to start a homeschool art co-op, what it can look like, and how it can enrich your teaching experience. 

You’ll also learn about our Art Co-Op Starter Pack filled with practical tools, such as an editable invite, supply list, and weekly planner, to make organizing easy and fun.

Let’s bring your teaching tribe together and make this your most inspired summer yet.

What Is an Art Co-Op for Teachers?

A homeschool art co-op is a collaborative group of homeschool educators who come together to share resources, rotate teaching roles, and offer their students a richer, more varied creative experience. 

For teachers, an art co-op focuses on connecting with others who understand your day-to-day wins and challenges. 

It’s a space to exchange lesson ideas, try new materials, and feel supported in a way solo homeschooling sometimes lacks.

Whether your co-op meets weekly, bi-weekly, or just once a month, it can bring energy, structure, and inspiration to your summer plans.

How Is Being Part of an Art Co-Op Beneficial for Teachers?

Teaching in a co-op format offers several key benefits for homeschool educators:

• Collaboration: Share the workload and avoid burnout by rotating who leads each week.
  
  

• Fresh Ideas: Every teacher brings a unique background and teaching style. That means more creative inspiration for you!
  
  

• Accountability: Scheduled meetings help keep lessons consistent and give you a reason to stick with your art goals.
  
  

• Professional Development: Learn new techniques, gain confidence leading group sessions, and improve curriculum planning through specific homeschool training.
  
  

• Community Support: Homeschooling can feel isolating. A co-op gives you a circle of peers who get it and have your back.

Think of it as professional development and personal support wrapped into one.

What’s in the Art Co-Op Starter Pack?

To make it easy to kick off your co-op, we created a free downloadable Art Co-Op Starter Pack that includes everything you need to organize your first sessions.

Editable Invite

Use this template to reach out to fellow homeschool teachers in your area. Customize it with your co-op's location, dates, and contact info. 

Whether texting a few teacher friends or sharing in a Facebook group, it is easy to get the word out professionally and clearly.

Supply List

Each activity in your co-op will need materials, and nothing’s worse than last-minute supply confusion.

The curated list includes essential art materials to have on hand for the first four sessions—think glue sticks, chalk pastels, watercolor sets, and paper types. 

Having a supply list helps streamline preparation and ensure everyone is ready to go.

Weekly Planner

Stay organized with a plug-and-play weekly planner. 

Plan who’s teaching, what the project is, and what’s needed. This helps everyone stay on the same page and keeps your co-op running smoothly. 

Bonus: It’s great for documenting participation and progress!

These three tools are just the beginning, but they’ll help you get off the ground confidently.

How to Start an Art Co-Op: Step-by-Step

You don’t need to overthink this. 

Starting an art co-op works best with connection first and planning second. 

Here's how to get started:

Step 1: Identify Your Circle
Reach out to a handful of homeschool teachers in your network. Start small. Even three or four families are enough for a summer co-op.

Step 2: Pick a Location
Your home, a rotating host schedule, a community center, or a park can all work. Make sure you have a table, chairs, and good lighting.

Step 3: Choose a Schedule
Weekly, biweekly, or monthly, whatever works for your group. Keeping a consistent schedule will help to build a predictable routine and momentum.

Step 4: Assign Roles
Rotate who leads the activity, who manages supplies, and who brings a snack. Sharing the responsibilities keeps it fun and fair.

Step 5: Use the Art Co-Op Starter Pack
Send the invite, share the supply list, and complete the weekly planner. These simple tools keep your group organized and collaborative.

Step 6: Start Creating Together
Kick off with a low-pressure project like collage, chalk pastel drawing, or nature weaving. Reflect after each session to see what worked and what you might tweak.

Why Do Homeschool Teachers Need to Participate in a Co-Op?

Homeschool teachers carry a lot; let’s be honest.

From lesson planning and grading to facilitating every subject and juggling family needs, it’s easy to forget that you need support, too.

An art co-op provides a shared responsibility, so you're not always the only one teaching or prepping.

It provides new perspectives that help you grow as an educator. A big one is the friendships and encouragement it provides in a space where you don’t have to explain what a typical homeschool day looks like.

Traditional educators have lounges, PLCs, and weekly meetings. Homeschool teachers deserve their own version of that: a tribe of like-minded educators who remind you you’re not doing this alone.

And remember that when teachers feel inspired and connected, students feel it, too.

How Do Homeschool Students Benefit from an Art Co-Op?

It's important to note that students gain just as much, if not more, through art co-ops. There are many benefits of homeschool co-ops for students.

In a co-op setting, students experience art in a group environment, introducing them to new perspectives, peer feedback, and collaborative learning. 

It’s an opportunity to develop confidence in sharing their ideas, working on group projects, and trying out unfamiliar techniques.

Art co-ops also expose kids to various teaching styles and art concepts. 

One week might focus on watercolor landscapes, and the next could introduce fiber arts or sculpture. It all depends on which teacher is leading. The variety keeps lessons exciting and fresh.

Let’s not forget the social aspect. Many homeschool students crave peer interaction. Co-ops offer a safe, encouraging space to build friendships while making art a perfect balance of creative expression and community connection.

In short, co-ops bring refreshing energy to a homeschool art curriculum and give students a space to thrive artistically and socially.

Let’s Build Something Beautiful Together

Homeschooling can be about community, creativity, and connection. An art co-op brings all three into focus.

With tools like our Art Co-Op Starter Pack and support from Outside the Box Creation, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to plan engaging, well-rounded art experiences. 

We provide the curriculum, supplies, and inspiration so you can focus on what you do best: teaching.

Whether gathering around a kitchen table or meeting at the park with paintbrushes, co-ops help you feel part of something bigger.

Grab our Art Co-Op Starter Pack today.

Sources: 

What Are Artist Co-ops?

What is a Homeschool Co-op? A Complete Guide for Families in 2025

Five Big Benefits of Homeschool Co-ops - Maestra Mom