Art Subscription Boxes: Can They Help You Sell More Art?

Subscription boxes are all the rage in the realm of experience gifts. For Christmas 2015, my wife and I gave each other a couple of subscriptions, including candy, chocolates, and makeup.

Several weeks ago, Susan Deneau from ArtBoxSurprise.com reached out to me to ask if I would be willing to do a review. I had seen several art subscription boxes, so I agreed. She sent me a box, and TAA’s team got digging into the world of subscription boxes.

How do Subscription Boxes work?

For prices ranging from $25 – $100, subscribers are are sent art at regular intervals.

Art in a Box

Art in a Box features artists from the San Fransisco Bay area. Subscribers fill out a form with their favorite media as well as three adjectives that describe their art taste, and receive a new box during their selected time frame (monthly, quarterly, etc) with a piece of original fine art. Art in a Box has also launched Bronze in a Box, a limited-run art box featuring bronze sculpture from a selected artist.

Subscription Details:

• $40/month with local pick-up
• $50/month with shipping (3 month subscription required)
• Artwork is contained in an 11” x 17” x 3” box

Art Box Suprise

Art Box Surprise branches out from flat media and may include paintings, art shirts, fiber arts, sculptures, and more. Art Box Surprise features independent artists from around the world, and gives $1/box subscriptions to public school art programs.

Subscription Details:

• $15/month for an envelope of art cards
• $25/month for a mini box
• $50/month for a super box
• $100/month for a super-duper box
• Sizes of artwork are not specified

Papirmass

Papirmass is an art print subscription program that also includes an art card with behind-the-scenes info about the featured artist and a monthly creative card with an art assignment for the subscriber. The latter inclusion makes this box a good gift choice for both art-lovers and artists alike.

Subscription Details:

• $8/month for a year-long subscription ($96 billed annually)
• $12/month for a quarterly subscription ($36 billed quarterly)
• $14/month for a monthly subscription
• Discounted rates offered for bulk orders

Art Crate

Art Crate is a curated subscription box that asks new subscribers to take a style quiz before signing up. A professional curator is assigned to each subscriber and works with them personally for the duration of their subscription to build out their art collection. This may include requesting photos of the subscriber’s space. The art print arrives already framed, and subscribers may choose from four subscription options based on the size of their space.

Subscription Details:

• $29/month+shipping for a small space (8×8 or 8×10 prints)
• $39/month+shipping for “average” spaces (12×16 or 12×12)
• $59/month+shipping for large spaces (18×18 or 18×24)
• $79/month+shipping for extra large spaces (24×32 or 24×24)

Wonderful Objects

Wonderful Objects is a little different from the more conventional art subscription boxes. They endeavor to craft a storytelling-through-objects experience from the subscription model. They refer to their boxes as Mystery Boxes, and each box is centered around a theme such as joining the circus or finding an underground labyrinth. The kid’s boxes are part of a longer-running story in collaboration with Cricket Media. The subscription includes “teasers”, small pieces sent ahead of the official box. Not everything in the box is an art piece, but art is included.

Subscription Details:

• Choose from Kid or Adult subscriptions
• $72/quarterly (renews automatically every 3 months)
• $135/2 quarter prepay (renews automatically every 6 months)
• $252/4 quarter prepay (renews annually)

Art Your Walls

Art Your Walls is a UK-based art subscription company seeking to make art accessible for everyone. A portion of proceeds are donated to Centrepoint, a UK charity supporting homeless young people. The prints are limited-edition giclée runs and feature a different artist each month. Each box also includes a Certificate of Authenticity and a collectible booklet with information about the artist. Shipping is free throughout the UK; international shipping incurs a small shipping fee (£3.95, roughly $5).

Subscription Details:

• £24.95/month (about $32), choose from delivery every 1-3 months
• £159.95 (about $206) for 6 months
• £284.95 (about $367) for 12 months

Art Mail

Art Mail is another subscription service that utilizes professional curators to hand-select each subscriber’s art. The art featured is museum-quality art on a gallery white mat, Certificate of Authenticity included. They also include a full artist bio and gallery of similar work with each box. Custom framing can be included for an additional $10 billed per piece. Art Mail offers the opportunity to skip a month with no questions asked or extra fees.

Subscription Details:

• $49/month billed annually or $55 billed per-piece
• $75/every other month billed annually or $85 billed per-piece
• $85/quarterly billed annually or $95 billed per-piece

Mindful Art

This art subscription is part of a mindful living/philosophy subscription box from Holstee. Each month centers around a different theme and the art is a graphic-design letterpress print available as a physical 5×7″ print or a digital download. Each month includes an origami-inspired gifting envelope to share the art with someone else when it’s time for the next subscription (the idea is focus on the single theme presented each month).

Subscription Details:

• $6.40/month billed annually or $8 billed monthly for a digital subscription
• $15.20/month billed annually or $19 billed monthly for a digital + physical subscription

Kunst im Brief

Kunst im Brief is a Germany-based art print subscription company that ships worldwide. Boxes feature five curated art prints as well as an in-depth interview with a different up-and-coming artist each month. Subscription types are based on the print size you prefer.

Subscription Details:

• €9.95/month ($11.16 USD) for small (A6) prints
• €19.95/month ($22.37 USD) for medium (A5) prints
• €29.95/month ($33.59 USD) for large (A6) prints

Takeaway Art

Takeaway Art is a subscription box of original art from Norfolk-based artists. Each month a new artist is chosen and featured on the company’s social media. If subscribers want to receive art from this artist they maintain their subscription; if they would rather not receive art that month they can opt-out. After receiving 9 months of art subscribers can join the Art Swap program to trade in art they no longer want and receive new pieces.

Subscription Details:

• £28.50/month billed monthly
• £75.00/every 3 months billed quarterly
• Occasionally art is limited and new subscribers won’t receive art their first month; they won’t be billed until their art is shipped to them.

Our Southern Hearts

Our Southern Hearts is an artisan gift box featuring handmade items (including art, crafts, and food) from Southern small business owners. Shipping is always free, and boxes all have a retail value of at least $45. Past box items are then included in an online shop and can be purchased a la carte.

Subscription Details:

• $39.95/month billed monthly
• $115/3 months prepaid
• $225/6 months prepaid
• $445/12 months prepaid