During my individual project for the Master of Design and Innovation, I developed a growth strategy for Art Vessel, a Madrid-based art studio creating immersive experiences that connect knowledge, creativity and emotion.

The challenge was clear: how could its workshops become a true engine for growth?

Art Vessel offered three main experiences: studio sessions exploring artists and their work, art sales, and a new series of creative workshops based on paper techniques. The workshops became the starting point of the strategy — an accessible, social experience designed to bring the artistic process closer to a young audience interested in art, culture and new ways of connecting.

Finding the North Star

Workshop frequency and participation became our North Star Metric: the more workshops and active participants, the stronger the indication that the model was generating interest, community and opportunities for growth.

From there, I developed a growth hacking strategy built around small experiments in acquisition, conversion and retention.

To attract new users, we explored three main directions: educational content targeted through Instagram, digital experiences connected to the physical space through QR codes, and collaborations with design schools such as IED Madrid.

But attracting users was only the beginning.

Once inside the Art Vessel ecosystem, the next challenge was turning curiosity into participation. Among the experiments explored, we proposed introducing a visible subscription touchpoint to capture interested users and create a new channel for presenting workshops and experiences.

From Visitors to Community

The strategy then evolved around a more interesting question: how do we make people want to come back?

In the short term, I proposed incentives for repeat workshops and a referral system that rewarded both existing and new participants. Loyalty also became part of the experience: after completing five workshops, users would receive a special recognition for becoming active members of the community.

In the medium term, we introduced the concept of AV Kits — versions of the materials used during the workshops that could extend the experience beyond the studio while creating a new product opportunity.

We also imagined the community evolving through exclusive experiences, including exhibitions where selected participants could showcase — and potentially sell — their own pieces, turning Art Vessel into a space for creation, connection and networking.

In the long term, the strategy envisioned a membership programme, offering year-round benefits, access to special experiences and activations around the AV Kits.

Designing Growth as an Experience

Even the pricing model became part of the strategy. Amateur, Pro and Advance options responded to different levels of engagement, from an initial introduction to more extensive and recurring experiences.

Ultimately, the project revealed something that goes beyond growth hacking: growth itself can be designed as an experience.

Rather than relying on one major action, the strategy was built through a series of small experiments designed to attract, activate and retain users while strengthening Art Vessel’s identity.

Because when product, experience and community work together, each workshop becomes more than an activity — it becomes another entry point into a growing creative ecosystem.