What Types of Emails Should You Be Sending Your Constituents?

Email is one of the easiest and most effective ways for art centers to stay in touch with their community. And with Art Center Canvas, it’s even easier. Our platform lets you use the information you’re already collecting—like student registrations, membership details, and donor records—to automatically send the right messages to the right people.

Instead of tracking everything by hand, you can set up emails that pull directly from your database. This means fewer manual tasks for your team, fewer missed opportunities, and more consistent communication with students, members, and donors.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the types of emails that help you keep your community informed, engaged, and coming back.

Core Email Types for Art Centers

There are a few key emails every art center should be sending. These messages help keep your operations running smoothly and your community engaged.

Class Registration + Point of Sale Emails

• Registration confirmations → Let students know they’re signed up and what to expect. This cuts down on questions and confusion.
• Reminder Emails → Remind students X days before the class starts about the date/time, location, and any materials needed for the class.
• Account Balance Reminders → Remind students who still owe money to log in to their account in the storefront and pay the balance, so you don’t have to chase payments later.
• Payment schedule reminders → Give people a heads-up before a payment goes through. It avoids surprises and reduces refund requests.

Event Emails

• Special event announcements → Invite your community to workshops, talks, or fundraisers.
  
• Art exhibition announcements → Let people know about upcoming shows so they can plan to attend.

Customer Retention + E-commerce Emails

• Membership renewal notices → Remind members before their membership ends, so they don’t lapse without realizing.
  
• Lapsed donor outreach → Reach out to past donors and invite them to support you again.
  
• Member and donor acknowledgments → Thank people for their support. It shows appreciation and keeps them feeling connected.

Custom + Evergreen Emails (Simple but Effective Additions)

Beyond the basics, you can set up simple custom emails that make a big difference in how people experience your art center. These messages help build connection and keep your community engaged over time.

• Class suggestions → “You liked Intro to Painting? Here’s what’s next.” Recommend classes based on what someone has already taken. It helps students keep learning and exploring.
  
• Birthday messages → A short birthday note can go a long way. It’s a simple way to make members feel seen and appreciated.
  
• Surveys → Ask for feedback on classes, events, or exhibitions. You’ll learn what’s working, what’s not, and what people want to see next.

Best Practices for Email Communication

Good emails don’t have to be complicated. Focus on a few simple principles to make sure your messages land well.

• Be clear and concise → Let people know why you’re emailing and what they need to do. Skip long intros or extra details.
  
• Time messages well → Don’t wait until the last minute to send reminders or announcements. Plan messages around your center’s calendar—like class enrollment periods or membership renewals—so they arrive when people need them.
  
• Keep frequency in check → Send emails when they’re relevant. Too many messages can overwhelm people and make them tune out.
  
• Match your tone to the message → Use a friendly, natural tone for most messages. For more official or transactional emails, a formal tone may be a better fit.
  
• Make it easy to take action → If you want someone to sign up, donate, or give feedback, make sure it’s simple to do right from the email by including a direct link or button.

Wrap-Up: Use Email to Strengthen Your Community

Email isn’t just a way to send reminders—it’s how you keep your community informed, connected, and engaged.

With Art Center Canvas, you can easily pull in student, member, and donor information from your database to send targeted, automated emails. Whether you’re confirming a class registration, reminding someone to renew a membership, or recommending their next class, our platform makes it simple to streamline communication across your entire center.

By using the information you already have, you can save time, reduce manual work, and send messages that feel personal and relevant.We can help you get started. Check out our Knowledge Base for step-by-step guides on setting up emails, or contact me (david@artcentercanvas.com) and we can help you.

Best,

David