Michaels' next project: art teacher

Michaels is hoping to turn wanna-be crafters into bonafide artists with its new digital education partnership.

The arts and crafts retailer has joined with craft instruction website Creativebug to offer online arts and crafts classes taught by top instructors and industry experts through an exclusive partnership with Michaels.

"Creativebug offers Michaels customers classes that capture the spirit of in-person teaching, so they feel like they are learning alongside their instructor, but at their own pace," said Michaels EVP of marketing, Steve Carlotti. "The partnership with Creativebug provides a tremendous resource for our customers who are interested in making a project but are looking for step-by-step instruction and encouragement to make it a reality."

The classes with Creativebug, a subscription-based provider of online DIY instruction, will round out Michaels' arts and crafts educational programming. Michaels also offers numerous in-store classes and crafting events each month, as well as hundreds of online project ideas and instructions. Accessible anytime, anywhere, the video classes provide the novice crafter with basic techniques, such as beginning calligraphy and paper crafting, while also catering to the enthusiast crafter by teaching more advanced skills and projects In addition to the videos featured on Michaels.com, customers who sign up by March 22 can receive a free two-month trial subscription to Creativebug.com, with access to hundreds of video classes as well as a coupon for 25 percent off customers' entire regularly priced purchase through March 25 at Michaels stores and Michaels.com.

"At Creativebug, our goal is to enhance our viewers' creative lifestyle by continuously teaching new techniques and encouraging them to explore new craft spaces," said Creativebug CEO Ursula Morgan. "Through Michaels.com, we will be able to share our on-trend, modern craft classes with a wider audience and introduce these customers to the broad range of DIY art and craft techniques that Creativebug.com provides."

Michaels is North America's largest specialty retailer of arts and crafts; as of Jan. 3 the company owns and operates 1,168 stores in 49 states and Canada and 121 Aaron Brothers stores.

Watch a video about the classes below.