The Do’s and Don’ts of Breaking into Live Event Calligraphy
Photo by Kalen Jesse
Live event calligraphy is one of my favorite streams of income as a calligrapher! Unlike traditional calligraphy projects, where you work behind the scenes on commissions or create products to sell online, live event calligraphy allows you to bring your art directly to people in an interactive and engaging way. Whether you’re lettering at corporate parties, or high-end luxury stores, or even weddings, live event calligraphy creates a memorable experience for guests while offering a lucrative opportunity for you.
What is Live Calligraphy?
You’ve probably seen artists creating live art at events. The most popular instance that comes to mind is a painter who captures a wedding scene at the wedding. Live event calligraphy is another form of live art, where you create custom lettering in real time. Think of live calligraphy like a performance — people aren’t just there for the final product, they’re captivated by the process of watching you create beautiful, hand-written script in real life. That’s what makes it such a valuable and in-demand service. It adds to the event’s overall experience. The most popular techniques requested are pen calligraphy, engraving, and hot foiling. Clients may ask you to letter on various materials like paper, leather, glass, or metal.
Types of Events that Hire Live Calligraphers
Let’s talk about what kind of events you can get hired for. I think this is important to add, because most of the time, we only see people sharing their biggest gigs — like lettering at luxury events for brands like Dior or Louis Vuitton. But the truth is, you don’t have to work with high-end brands to make live calligraphy a profitable part of your business. Whether you’re at a bridal expo, a corporate networking event, or a pop-up for a local business, there are plenty of opportunities to get booked for live lettering.
Here are some of the most common types of live calligraphy events:
Corporate & Luxury Events:
Businesses of all sizes hire live calligraphers for exclusive client experiences. From corporate conferences to launch parties to your local gym, everyone loves adding personal touches to their events. The best part? Corporate events aren’t always a one-and-done thing. If a company loves what you do, they’ll bring you back year after year for holiday parties, launch events, and more.
Retail Brand Activations:
Another great way to offer your services is to partner with retail stores! Retailers love using live calligraphy to personalize customer purchases and create VIP shopping experiences. It’s especially popular around the holidays, for new product launches, and big sale weekends. If you want to book jobs like these, start local. Introduce yourself to businesses that already do in-store events and show them how live calligraphy can elevate their customer experience.
For example, I’ve been doing live calligraphy for Kendra Scott for four years now. Each time, we find new ways to keep things fresh like lettering on acrylic ornaments, glass vases, and leather luggage tags. And each time, their customers love adding personalized touches to their purchases.
Weddings:
Couples care about whether their guests are having a good time. Interactive guest experiences are a huge trend, and now, live calligraphy has made its way to weddings too. If you’re interested in breaking into wedding calligraphy, or simply looking for more services to offer your wedding clients, this is an easy add-on. You can offer pointed pen or brush calligraphy, foil embossing, or engraving on keepsakes like luggage tags, wine glasses, tumblers, candles, or ornaments — small, custom details that make a wedding feel extra special.
Are you interested in breaking into wedding calligraphy? Watch my free masterclass, 3 Steps to Booking Your Dream Wedding Clients, to learn how!
Wedding Industry Events:
Since live wedding calligraphy is so popular, you can also book gigs at bridal expos and other wedding industry events, such as vendor happy hours or open houses. Organizers love having live calligraphy because it’s a fun, interactive draw that keeps couples at the event longer. You’ll love it because it’s a two-for-one dea l— not only are you getting hired for the event, but you’re also getting in front of potential clients who may want to book you for their wedding. (So bring your business cards and be prepared to pitch yourself as couples ask questions!)
No matter what type of event you choose, live calligraphy allows you to interact with people, build relationships, and showcase your skills — all while getting paid to do what you love.
How to Get Your First Live Calligraphy Jobs
Breaking into live calligraphy doesn’t happen overnight, but you can start booking events faster than you think. The key is to build confidence in your skills, position yourself as a go-to calligrapher in your area, and let people know you’re available for live lettering. Here are a few tips on how to land your first gig.
1. Hone Your Craft
Before you start pitching yourself for live events, get comfortable lettering on different materials and working at a faster pace. Live event calligraphy isn’t the same as working at home — you’ll be lettering under time constraints so you can serve more people. Set a timer when you practice to help build speed while keeping your lettering clean and consistent. The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel when it’s time to pitch yourself.
2. Practice in Front of Others
Live calligraphy is as much about the showmanship as it is about the final piece. If you’ve only ever worked in private, it can take some getting used to. The best way to feel comfortable? Start practicing in front of people. Set up at a small vendor market, offer calligraphy at local businesses, or even practice while chatting with friends or family. The goal is to get used to working with an audience, engaging with guests, and handling distractions while lettering. The more you do it, the easier it will feel.
3. Add Live Event Calligraphy to Your Website
Most calligraphers assume that big brands, like Nordstrom or Kendra Scott, find people on Instagram. Every once in a while, they do, but corporate and retail clients usually search Google first. If you want to get found, make sure your website clearly lists Live Calligraphy as a service. Even if you haven’t booked an event yet, you can still add it to your website. Talk about the types of live calligraphy you offer and show examples of items and materials you work with, and include photos that showcase your skills. You don’t need event photos to start out. You can use images of your work or of you posing with your equipment. Like this…
The goal is to make sure potential clients can see what you do and know how to contact you.
PS: If you don’t have a website yet or you’re working on your website - check out my recent post on which is the best website builder for calligraphers!
4. Reach Out to Businesses
If you’re waiting for live calligraphy jobs to come to you, you’re missing out on huge opportunities. Many brands and businesses don’t even know live calligraphy is an option. It’s up to you to introduce them to it.
Instead of just saying, "I offer live calligraphy," explain why it’s valuable. Live lettering isn’t just a cool service — it enhances the customer experience by giving them something that’s personalized and memorable. The more you educate potential clients on the benefits, the more likely they are to hire you.
5. Talk to Local Businesses First
Your first live calligraphy job doesn’t have to be for a huge brand. It’s easier to start in your own community. Think about the local businesses you already shop at, the small boutiques in your area, or event spaces that regularly host gatherings. These are great places to introduce yourself and start building connections.
If a business has hosted a holiday event, a product launch, or a VIP shopping night in the past, they might love the idea of live calligraphy but just haven’t thought of it yet. Walking in, introducing yourself, and leaving a business card is an easy way to get on their radar.
6. Use LinkedIn as a Networking Tool
Most calligraphers haven't tapped into the potential of LinkedIn. I get it — the last thing we need is yet another marketing platform! But corporate clients, marketers, and PR people aren’t searching for vendors on Instagram. They turn to the platforms they use most often — LinkedIn and Google. If you’re serious about working with brands, don’t overlook LinkedIn. Instead of just listing yourself as a “calligrapher,” make it clear that you specialize in live event calligraphy and on-site personalization. Share past work, post about events you’ve attended, and connect with event planners, brand marketers, and luxury retailers. The more visible you are on the platform, the more likely you’ll be considered for future events.
Pro Tip: Before you go on-site for your first live calligraphy job, make sure you're covered legally by making sure you have a contract in place, specifically for live calligraphy. A contract is especially important for corporate and retail clients who want to ensure that they are entrusting their services to a professional. The Legal Paige is my favorite place to get contracts and they have a great Live Calligraphy contract that will make you look professional and protect you.
What Should Your Live Calligraphy Pricing Be?
Live calligraphy pricing varies depending on your experience, location, and the type of event. Most calligraphers charge between $150 and $300+ per hour for live events. A few things to keep in mind when setting your rates are:
Make sure your live calligraphy prices match your experience level and expertise. Don’t undervalue your skills, and on the flip side, if you’re brand new to live calligraphy, you can start by offering a lower rate and increase it over time as you gain expertise
Live event pricing should be higher than your studio work. Since you’re offering an in-person experience, your rate should reflect the time, setup, and skill involved, as well as travel time and expenses.
Rates are influenced by market demand and supply. If you’re in an urban market with high demand for brand activations and event services, and there aren’t many calligraphers around, clients will be willing to pay more premium rates for your services.
Factor in material costs. Most companies provide their own materials for personalization, but don’t forget to factor in the pricing of your pens and supplies, and if you’re sourcing items for the client, be sure to charge for both the materials and a sourcing fee.
Pricing can feel tricky at first, but don’t undervalue your skills. Live event calligraphy is a premium service, and clients are willing to pay for the experience you bring to their event!
Is Live Calligraphy Right for You?
Live calligraphy is a unique, high-paying way to grow your calligraphy business, but it’s not for everyone. To succeed in this niche, you need to enjoy working in front of people, promoting yourself to businesses, and adapt quickly to different work environments. If that sounds like you, live calligraphy could be an incredible way to expand your business and start booking higher-paying clients. It’s something I added to my services early on, and I’m so glad I did! Now it’s your turn to see if live event calligraphy is right for you.
Whether you decide to offer live calligraphy or other calligraphy services, make sure you join my free Calligrapher Directory with over 200 calligraphers to get more eyes on your offer!
