Michaels, the Irving, Texas-based craft store chain, launched a new program last month encouraging local makers to teach craft workshops in the stores’ classrooms. Called MAKERS Nation, the program is currently being piloted in five areas: Los Angeles, Chicago, Kansas City, Northwest Florida, and Salt Lake City. Through the program, instructors are able to develop their own class curriculum, set their own schedule, choose their own class price, and market their class as they see fit. All MAKERS Nation classes will use products from Michaels.
“We have a classroom in every Michaels store, and since 2014, customers can use our classrooms for group arts and crafts opportunities, free of charge, when not already committed for a store-led event,” explained Mallory Smith, Public Relations Manager. “However, under our existing rules, instructors couldn’t charge a fee to participants to attend the event.” MAKERS Nation changes that. If successful the pilot program could be expanded chain-wide. Michaels currently operates more than 1,200 stores in 49 states and Canada.
“As a company, we will not dictate which classes are taught, as we want to empower local instructors to teach classes their communities are interested in, whether that be quick-turn trends or classic crafting techniques,” Smith said. The program includes a new online scheduling tool that makes it easier for instructors and customers to sign up for classes they want to teach and attend.
In February of 2017, we reported how an inefficient manual registration process for Michaels classes, a lack of marketing by local stores, and an additional pay cut for instructors made it extremely difficult for teachers to successfully earn a fair wage teaching classes there. The New Jersey instructor we spoke to at that time said this about MAKERS Nation, “I would like to think that we had an impact. And the huge number of teachers who quit as a result [of the pay cuts], and the many stores who have been operating without teachers since then.”
MAKERS Nation is a pilot program and Smith says Michaels is looking for feedback from instructors and teachers over the coming months. Makers who would like to propose a class can go here to apply. They should have a class description, photo, and personal bio ready.
For a list of all store locations and to register for MAKERS Nation classes visit Michaels.com.
This is very welcome news. I have been teaching knitting at my local (NYC) Michaels store part-time for 3 years and have been frustrated by the limitations of having to work within the Craft Yarn Council’s very limited curriculum as well as by the much lower than market rate fees being charged and that I receive. I have often made suggestions to the store and to the CYC about classes that should be offered but nothing has changed. I will definitely be discussing this with my store’s manager.
I do wonder what will happen to the Craft Yarn Council’s certification program if MAKERS Nation is a success and gets expanded nationally. It seems like the desire to teach at Michaels was one of the chief reasons instructors signed up for certification. Without that requirement, will registration in that program decline?
May I suggest contacting your local quilt shop or yarn shop to offer your classes. Most of the independent shop owners I know would appreciate experienced, professional instructors teaching in their stores and to be able to offer and promote in-store classes. These shop owners and their staff are more knowledgeable about the products in their stores where chain store clerks are often less informed and not as helpful to students/customers. These shops also carry the “better quality” products (read: your classes and your students will be more successful because their projects will turn out better with minimal struggle due to using “less expensive” materials) and it will be a win for everyone–teacher, student and shop. Of course, shop owners prefer you use the products they offer in their shops when making your class sample because that is part of their revenue stream. But they have newsletters, e-news blasts, and promote your classes on their social media and websites to a targeted audience. If you have an interesting topic or project, your class will fill.
Be proactive and talk to your local shops. If you make it easy for them (have your class descriptions, supply lists, class samples, photos, etc. prepared), they will welcome the opportunity to work with you. And, you will be working with and supporting independent entrepreneurs like yourself.
Veronica, I don’t know where you are located, but in NYC (Manhattan) the local yarn stores provide instructors who are store employees, not outside instructors, except for guest authors and designers who sometimes offer classes related to whatever book or pattern collection they are hawking.
Hi Elaine. I’m in the southeast. Shops in my region–especially the quilt shops–are generally receptive when people inquire about teaching at their shops. They have some employees that teach classes, but it’s nice for them when they can offer a variety–especially if someone is a good instructor, personable, can make classes fun and has a unique/new/trending idea for a class. I’m not saying it’s a “done deal” if you just say you want to teach. But most shop owners will at least have a conversation (interview) and see if there is a fit. It seems it would be beneficial for students to learn from different instructors, too.
Great Newsletter!
Interesting!!!
This is wonderful news. I hope to market my cake, cupcake, and cookie classes
I hope that cake decorating classes can be brought back to Michaels
Love this concept!
Would mixed media collage, which is closer to Fine Art be included in what you describe as “a craft”?
I teach a very successful what I call Painting with Paper class.
Hi Carol, I don’t know for sure. I would encourage you to apply if this program is taking place in your local area. If your class uses supplies that are available at Michaels I think you likely have a good shot at it!
I have been a certified instructor at Michaels since 2013. When they did away with the”official” jewelry classes, I was fortunate to have a store manager who basically let me do what this program does! My one concern is this — would I have to become an independent contractor after working for almost 6 years as a Michaels employee, (all I do is teach jewelry classes), and lose my discount? Are they going to accommodate those of us who stuck out all of these changes the last few years and keep our “employee” status?
It has been a little over a month since this new Michaels “initiative” has taken place within our area. Unceremoniously, instructors were simply “dropped” without notification, except a non-addressed paper that described how to “submit proposals”. I am still processing this unprecedented non-creative process in which the Michaels instructors were not notified…or, even given “options”…or, any opportunity for input. As a professional artist/educator/anthropologist/etc., I find this approach to “creativity” somewhat non-productive, demoralizing, and just plain “poor business” strategy. I thoroughly enjoyed my five years as an instructor, there. I even broke a few records during their Open Houses, by actually registering students for 58 classes at just ONE Open House!!! And, I did not even get a letter of recognition, appreciation, or a thank you from anyone! wow! Did anyone stop to think that employed, certified instructors, no doubt, were also customers, and also members linked to the same communities that are now fully aware that Michaels does not always “make”, nor consider, what CREATIVITY actually entails, from the perspectives of the certified makers. As I said, I am still “processing” this decision made by those who, obviously, don’t know much about the Creative Process, or even Human Relations. No one seemed to consider what the instructors “added value” is to Michaels who bring extra attractions that require product knowledge as well as teaching standards . Someone also did not consider the personal “investment” of time, experience, education, and expertise of those who have already been “under-employed” by a company that seems to have little regard for the Arts & Humanities beyond what monetary exchange is possible for the company, but not even their regular employees, or customers. Wow….quite a “wake-up” call for some of us. Perhaps, the less-experienced ones might learn much later that becoming one’s own business “contractor” has far more challenges than what most creatively productive people actually want to endure. Clearly, Michaels does not function as a place where authentic Creativity happens, if its own employees are treated like mere expendables.
AkuA: I was so shocked and disturbed by the lack of appreciation that Corporate Michaels has for their employees — you know the ones who were making minimum wage and selling their products every time they had a class! I have been even less impressed with the lack of vision this change has had. I have basically been told that they are “learning” as they start it. They had no fine details for this all encompassing plan!
I am going to give it a try for a few months, though I will not be making any money on this! I had regular students, who I feel I have slowly lost contact with and I feel like I have to start all over again! One good question to ask is if they are going to have Classroom Open Houses! That is where I brought in new students. This new format does not really play into that.
I am so frustrated and disappointed! I absolutely loved teaching my classes and now I feel adrift. I sure hate to have to start over some place else!
Tracy:
I can definitely empathize with you when it comes to having genuine compassion for your current students. I agree, keeping in contact with them can be very time-consuming which seems to be yet another matter that this Initiative does not take into consideration. Time. The added responsibilities of doing the “business” portion of art/teaching, will definitely decrease the time needed to prepare for classes for/with students. Yes, the Open Houses were a great approach to making contact with prospective students, as I have already mentioned. But, I congratulate you for willing to “try and see” if this initiative works. As for me, I have had my own business for over 20 years, and I must take into account how these additional expectations, with no guarantees of at least a minimal exchange of “perks” or income, will impact my other professional interests. Starting a new business requires time, patience, legwork, and also capital (i.e. money). Michaels has clearly placed all the burdens on the instructors, and with very few incentives/benefits. Even the “third-party” segment is so obtuse, that there are no “checks and balances” or procedures regarding glitches in registration or payment. Also, if you are one who has invested a sizable amount of time and money in learning your particular skills, like attended art schools, took private lessons, or invested in a significant amount of your own materials and equipment…then, you are not getting much “added value” to all that you have already invested into becoming certified, or even competent. That is quite disturbing to me. Finally, I have always had a strong value in providing good service that also involves mutual respect between the instructor and the student, the merchant and the consumer, and leadership that empowers members. I simply do not purchase where I am not respected, or where my input is not even requested. Neither, do I patronize establishments that treat others with little concern for their well-being, like our students. Your distress reflects what every competent teacher feels under these current circumstances. Your response to my concerns, also suggests that there might be plenty of folks, instructors and students, who are feeling similar responses to what is clearly not what makes Creativity “happen”! I wish you well, and keep us posted on your results. What timeline are you giving yourself before determining whether “building this airplane while in flight” is really worth it ?
I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who is speaking out against the new class program at Michaels. I agree that this is all about Michaels taking, wanting to make money from the use of empty classrooms, and putting the entire burden on the instructors to make this work. They are, essentially, just allowing instructors to use their underutilized classroom space and then charging the instructors 30% for that “privilege,” while not giving anything back to the instructors in the way of promotion or a kickback on products sold in the store that are being used for classes.
I have given my store manager a very long list of of questions that I need to have answered before I sign on for the program. They are very specific questions about how this is going to work in terms of scheduling/ cancelling, payments, class content, etc. I got very few answers. Seems the store managers do not know what is going on either. They are not getting responses from corporate either.
I have given that same list of questions to the Craft Yarn Council and in a recent phone conversation with them, during which I voiced my concerns, I learned that they are also having trouble getting answers from Michaels.
I am in a market (NYC) where there are many options for people to find instructors, mainly at other yarn stores. So unless MIchaels is providing something extra, namely promotion, I don’t see how this can work. If I am going to have to do all the promotion for the classes myself, then why do I need Michaels? If needed, I can find another venue, even my own home, for conducting classes.
The CYCA gave me an email address to write to Michaels (instructors@micheals.com) about the program, although admitting that those who have emailed there haven’t gotten responses.
AkuA: to answer your question of how long I was going to give this a try — I was looking at the end of June. Right now I haven’t had a class since the beginning of February, my March classes were cancelled because of this change. I had one student sign-up for April, but she ended up in the emergency room — which leads to another concern, can they make up classes, (I have always let them in the past). All of my April classes have been scheduled at 4 PM, I finally got my May weekday classes to be 6 to 8 PM! That took many emails!!!! Is this worth it — not really, but my students are, so I will wait to see if the better time frame works for them.
Elaine: The e-mail you were given is actually for AnyRoads, the company who is now processing the class registrations for Michaels. I have sent a very blunt email to them, along with a plethora of questions! Unfortunately, almost every correspondence is answered by a different person, though they have been courteous about passing the “thank yous” on.
My read on it is this — the AnyRoads email gets you to the worker bees who just process classes and give out the generic, broad answers that they have been given, but do not really have any say in the process. They were truly surprised at how ticked off and frustrated I was. They weren’t expecting to have to deal with displaced Michaels instructors! Who I really want to bend the ear of is the Michaels Corporation muckety-muck who had this genius idea!
Oh and FYI – Independent contractors are suppose to get a card for 15% off, (underwhelmed), everything, at any time. When I emailed to ask about it, they said that they were in the “process” of getting the cards made for the instructors and that they would be arriving in the “near future”. Yet another of their not-thought-through-plan at work.
Tracy: Good luck. Two months seems to be a reasonable “testing” time…although, you have been without income since January. That certainly must be an unexpected “pinch” to your budget.
Elaine: Keep us posted on your results, if/when you get some. I have not reached out to Michaels or the “third-party contractor”, of which I have no professional relationship with the latter. I have not gone beyond the local Michael’s store manager, who was also “blind-sided” by all of this. Locally, I have genuinely enjoyed the rapport, support, and benefits that come when people genuinely respect one another. My decision to not contact anyone beyond the local store is a very deliberate decision on my part, because it is actually the responsibility of the “employer” to follow certain guidelines when relating to its “employees”, especially if it is considered a “termination”. To date, none of that has been followed by Michaels. Fortunately, my certification has been maintained with the vendor, but even that company was caught by surprise. They are also in the process of trying to reassure all of its instructors that this could be a “win-win” proposition……
AkuA: I have NEVER counted on my Michaels classes to be a source of income for me, I did it for the motivation to hone different jewelry making techniques and to teach. I use to be a full time teacher and had to quit due to health reasons. I definitely would have quit a LONG time ago if it was for the money, (I play in 4 orchestras and have private violin/cello students).
I too, was very surprised by the lack of paperwork or something from Michaels! But then, I can’t remember if the fact I was “just” an instructor and not a floor person/cashier, made it easier for them to dismiss me. That isn’t something I pursued, but I might ask around! I’ll keep you posted on any developments — good or bad!
I am amazed at the multiple talents, accomplishments, and achievements that are being revealed among the instructors. Like you, the classes were a source of community rather than revenue…although my classes had begun to reach their highest bonus earning level. But, the sense of community among the regulars was a benefit for everyone. I also did occasional “tutorials” for the staff who were not familiar with art products. We even had a session with one of the framers, who demonstrated the rudiments of framing. Of course, sales increased from that session, too! You are correct, it was not only about an income, but I counsel artists about learning the “language” of money exchange, especially when it comes to their creative labor. Clearly, Michael’s sees the labor of creative people as a part of the “waste” category when it comes to productivity, according to some added value theories. What an example of poor judgement, and missed calculations. Just keep doing YOU! Companies come and go…but, Creativity is a constant!
Due to my unemployment during COVID, I just now got interested in teaching my hobby, that is, paper craft of all sort, mixed media, art journals etc… I learned about the new system adopted by Michaels just today!!!! My questions are: 1. Have you guys learned more? 2.Did you try to teach under the new system? And 3. Has it been successful in securing your classes and having plenty of students? Let me know the development of the new system in the last two years, if you are back teaching at Michaels. Thank you.