In this story:
- 1. Sip and paint: best for teams that want to let loose
- 2. Street art and spray paint: best for teams who want something completely different
- 3. Plein air painting: best for teams who need fresh air as much as creativity
- 4. Beginner painting workshop: best for levelling the playing field
- 5. Collage and mixed media: best for teams that like to experiment
- 6. City farm art class: best for teams that need a genuine reset
- How to choose the right format for your team size and vibe
- Ready to book?
If you're planning for team activities your group will love, painting classes in London are well worth considering.
There’s a specific kind of team lunch that everyone tolerates but nobody really remembers. You eat, you chat about the same things you chat about at the office, and by Monday morning it’s like it never happened. Painting classes are the opposite of that. Whether it’s the novelty, the mild chaos of someone spilling their prosecco on their canvas, or just the act of making something with your hands, they tend to leave a mark – on the team, if not always on the artwork!
London has a brilliant range of painting team building ideas, and the format you choose makes a bigger difference than you might think. A team of introverts who need genuine decompression after a brutal quarter will get something completely different from a plein air session in Hyde Park than from a high-energy spray paint workshop in Hackney. This guide breaks down six distinct experience formats – what each one involves, who it suits, and what your team can actually expect – so you can book with confidence rather than just picking the first result on Google.
Here are the ClassBento team's top picks:
1. Sip and paint: best for teams that want to let loose
If the brief is “fun, low-pressure, and something everyone will actually enjoy”, sip-and-paint ticks every box. The format is exactly what it sounds like: you paint, there’s wine (or prosecco, or soft drinks), there’s music, and the atmosphere is closer to a social event than art classes for adults. Nobody is expected to produce anything gallery-worthy, which is precisely why these sessions work so well for mixed groups.
Your host guides the group through the painting step by step, so even the most artistically resistant colleague has something to show for it at the end. Everyone takes their canvas home – which, depending on the evening, becomes either a proud memento or a running office joke.
Best for: Teams of 8–20 who want a sociable evening out. Ideal after a tough quarter, a big product launch, or any period where people just need to laugh together without an agenda.
What to expect: Around 2 hours. Guided, so no experience is needed. Drinks are usually included or available on the night. You leave with a finished canvas and, very likely, some strong opinions about who in the team has secret artistic talent.
2. Street art and spray paint: best for teams who want something completely different
If your team has done the wine-and-canvas thing before, or if you’re working with a group who would run a mile from anything that felt too “crafty”, street art workshops are worth serious consideration. They’re one of the more unusual creative activities for teams in London – which matters, because novelty is its own kind of leveller. Nobody comes into a spray paint stencil class with years of experience, so the playing field is genuinely flat.
Sessions typically start with a guided walk through some of London’s street art hotspots – great for getting people talking and curious before you’ve even picked up a can. Then it’s into the studio to make your own stencil art, guided by a local artist who knows the scene well. The result is something that feels genuinely urban and a bit edgy, which goes down well with teams who might roll their eyes at a more conventional art class.
Best for: Mixed groups, especially those with a few sceptics who need winning over. Also great for teams in creative industries, or anywhere the culture leans towards the informal.
What to expect: A guided outdoor element followed by hands-on studio time. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting paint on. The output – a stencil artwork to take home – tends to impress people more than they expect.
3. Plein air painting: best for teams who need fresh air as much as creativity
Plein air means painting outdoors, and in London that means Hyde Park – proper green, proper space, and a setting that does half the therapeutic work before the class has even started. This is one of those art team building London experiences that goes beyond the activity itself. Being outside, away from screens, surrounded by nature, and doing something with your hands: it’s a combination that genuinely shifts people’s state.
Your instructor guides the group through the basics – how to work with the medium of your choice, how to capture light and landscape – while more experienced painters are welcome to work more independently. It’s a slower, calmer format than some of the others on this list, and that’s entirely the point.
Best for: Smaller teams of up to 10, particularly those who have been through a high-pressure period and need genuine decompression rather than another loud social event. Works especially well in spring and summer – check the forecast and plan ahead.
What to expect: A relaxed, unhurried session in Hyde Park. Painting kits are provided. Bring sunscreen, a light layer, and the willingness to sit still for a bit – which, for some teams, will be the most radical thing they do all year.
4. Beginner painting workshop: best for levelling the playing field
One of the less obvious benefits of art team building in London is what happens when a senior leader and a new starter are equally clueless about something. Beginner painting workshops deliberately eliminate hierarchy – everyone brings a painting of their choice, everyone starts from scratch, and the CEO is just as likely to produce something wonky as the intern. That shared vulnerability has a way of building rapport that forced icebreakers never quite manage.
Your teacher guides the group through the entire process, and drinks and nibbles are provided so the atmosphere stays social. It’s structured enough that no one is left floundering, but relaxed enough that it doesn’t feel like a lesson.
Best for: Teams that are newly formed or going through a period of change – new hires, restructured departments, or groups where people don’t know each other well yet. Also good for teams where everyone claims they “can’t draw” (they can).
What to expect: A fully guided session with all materials provided. Light refreshments included. The pace is friendly and encouraging – no one is left behind, and no one is expected to be Rembrandt.
5. Collage and mixed media: best for teams that like to experiment
Not everyone connects with a blank canvas and a brush, and mixed media workshops are a good alternative for teams where some people would find a traditional painting class quietly daunting. The format is more playful and tactile – think acrylics layered over torn pages from vintage books and magazines, combined with pens, collage elements, and whatever else sparks something.
Teacher Gabriela supplies a huge range of materials and works with each participant regardless of experience level, encouraging people to follow their instincts rather than worrying about whether the result “looks right.” The outputs tend to be genuinely varied and personal, which makes for a great end-of-session moment when everyone holds up what they’ve made.
Best for: Creative teams, teams in design or strategy roles, or any group that values self-expression and is likely to find pure technique-based painting a bit constraining. Also works well for larger groups, since the format is naturally self-directed.
What to expect: A loose, exploratory session with plenty of materials to play with. No specific painting skill required – curiosity is the main thing to bring.
6. City farm art class: best for teams that need a genuine reset
This one takes a bit more intention to book, but it’s worth it for the right team. Georgie Mason’s art classes run at Stepney City Farm – a working farm in East London that feels surprisingly far removed from the city around it. The session starts with a hot drink and a short mindful exercise or meditation, which sets a tone that’s quite different from the “right, let’s get going” energy of most team events.
The painting itself covers texture, colour mixing, and mark-making, and Georgie is careful to emphasise that skill level is irrelevant – what she’s interested in is getting people to slow down and engage with the process. For teams where burnout is a real concern, this is one of the painting team building ideas in London that goes further than just being a nice afternoon out.
Best for: Smaller teams of up to 12 who need something genuinely restorative. Particularly suited to teams that have been running hard and need more than a social event – they need an actual change of pace.
What to expect: A calm, mindful session on a real working farm. Hot drinks on arrival, a grounding exercise, then a guided painting class surrounded by green space and the occasional goat. Wear comfortable clothes.
How to choose the right format for your team size and vibe
The best painting team building ideas in London aren’t necessarily the most popular ones – they’re the ones that actually fit the group you’re booking for. Here’s a quick framework for narrowing it down.
Small Teams (Under 10 People)
Smaller groups tend to get more out of experiences that allow for genuine conversation and a slower pace. Plein air painting in Hyde Park and the city farm class both work particularly well here – they’re intimate by design, and the setting does a lot of the work. The beginner workshop is also a good option if the team is newly formed or still finding its feet socially.
Larger Groups (10–30 People)
Sip-and-paint sessions and mixed media workshops tend to scale well, since the format is social and self-directed enough that it doesn’t fall apart with a bigger headcount. Street art workshops can also work for larger groups – check with the provider on maximum numbers when booking.
High-Energy Teams vs. Teams That Need Genuine Decompression
It’s worth being honest with yourself about which category your team falls into. A group that’s been cooped up in back-to-back meetings for weeks will probably want something with energy and movement – the street art workshop, or a lively sip-and-paint with good music. A team that’s been burning hard and needs to actually recover is better served by the city farm class or plein air session, where the pace is deliberately slower and the environment does some of the healing.
Mixed Skill Levels and First-Timers
Every format on this list is accessible to complete beginners – that’s a genuine feature of art as a team activity, not just a marketing line. But if your team includes people who are actively anxious about “being bad at art,” the beginner workshop or mixed media session will be the most reassuring choices, since both are explicitly structured around exploration rather than technique.
Indoors vs. Outdoors
Most formats are indoor, which makes them reliably bookable year-round. The plein air session is the exception – it’s best in spring and summer, and worth checking the weather forecast before you commit. The city farm class is also partly outdoors, though the painting itself takes place in a sheltered studio space.
Ready to book?
All six formats are bookable through ClassBento, with experienced teachers who specialise in group sessions. Whether you’re after art team building in London that’s high-energy and social, or something quieter and more restorative, there’s a format here that fits. Browse our full range of painting classes in London to find the right match for your team.
Need more inspiration? Read all about ClassBento's top painting classes in London!
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