Touch the spiral
Espiral
Free Art School · Lake Atitlán
The Model in One Sentence
Espiral operates as two linked entities: a revenue-generating pottery and art studio, and a free community art school for children. The studio sustains the school. Guest workshops, pottery sales, artist residency fees, and benefit concerts fund operations — and as long as revenue keeps the doors open, every class for every child remains free.
This document covers entity structure options, startup costs, monthly operating costs (with seasonal adjustments for Lake Atitlán), Year 1 revenue projections across three scenarios, the grant and funding landscape, and a phased rollout plan. All figures are researched for San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala and reflect local market conditions as of 2025–2026.
Legal Structure
We are evaluating two structures. Both use a dual-entity model — a revenue arm and a nonprofit arm — to maximize fundraising, grant eligibility, and tax-deductible donations for US-based donors.
Note: This is an overview for planning purposes. Final entity selection should be confirmed with a Guatemalan attorney (notaría) and a US nonprofit specialist familiar with international operations. Estimated legal formation costs: $800–$2,500 USD total for both entities.
Startup Costs
All figures in USD. Guatemala import VAT of 12% included in equipment estimates. Assumes shipping or sourcing from Mexico/Guatemala City where possible.
| Item | Low | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | |||
| Electric kiln (mid-size studio kiln, imported) | $2,800 | $5,500 | $2,000–$3,000 base + 12% VAT + shipping. Skutt or equivalent. |
| Pottery wheels (2–3 units) | $900 | $2,400 | $400–$800/wheel. Used wheels reduce cost significantly. |
| Kiln furniture, shelves, props | $300 | $650 | Required for each firing — consumable over time. |
| Clay, glazes, tools, slip (initial stock) | $600 | $1,400 | Clay sourced locally where possible. Glazes likely imported. |
| Foldable tables, seating, shelving | $400 | $900 | Local market in Guatemala City or Panajachel. |
| Space & Infrastructure | |||
| Space deposit + first/last month rent | $1,200 | $3,000 | Based on $600–$1,400/mo commercial space, San Marcos/Tzununa area. |
| Electrical upgrade (dedicated 220V kiln circuit) | $400 | $1,200 | Kilns require dedicated high-amperage line. Local electrician. |
| Ventilation system / extraction fan | $200 | $600 | Non-negotiable for kiln fumes and clay dust safety. |
| Basic studio buildout (paint, shelves, signage) | $300 | $800 | Minimal — space should be functional, not fancy. |
| Legal & Digital | |||
| Entity formation (US 501c3 + Guatemala Asociación Civil) | $800 | $2,500 | Legal fees, notaría, registration. File 501c3 in low-cost state (Wyoming/New Mexico). |
| Website, donation platform, online store setup | $300 | $800 | Vercel hosting (free tier), Stripe/PayPal for donations, Shopify or Etsy for online sales. |
| Branding, photography, initial content | $200 | $600 | Local photographer for first studio shots. Logo and decks already produced. |
| Total Startup Estimate | $8,400 | $20,350 | Fundraising target: $10,000–$15,000 to open comfortably. |
Monthly Operating Costs
Lake Atitlán has two distinct seasons. High season: November–April (dry, peak tourism, full studio). Low season: May–October (rainy, fewer visitors, online sales carry the weight). All figures USD.
| Expense | Low Season / mo | High Season / mo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space | |||
| Studio rent (San Marcos / Tzununa) | $600 | $1,000 | Commercial space with ventilation & access. Higher in peak for desirable spaces. |
| Electricity (studio + kiln) | $80 | $180 | Kiln uses ~15–20 kWh per firing. Guatemala avg rate ~$0.12/kWh. More firings in high season. |
| Water, internet, basic utilities | $60 | $80 | Internet is higher cost in San Marcos (~$40–60/mo). Water low cost locally. |
| People | |||
| Studio coordinator / manager (local hire) | $400 | $600 | Above Guatemala minimum wage (4,002 GTQ/mo ≈ $508). Fair local rate for skilled coordinator. |
| Mayan pottery teacher (part-time, 2x/week) | $150 | $300 | Honorarium/stipend model for cultural teachers. Scales with sessions taught. |
| Artist residency housing subsidy | $0 | $200 | Residency housing partially offset by teaching. Budget for gap subsidy in high season when housing costs peak. |
| Supplies & Program | |||
| Clay, glazes, tools (ongoing supply) | $100 | $300 | Scales with production volume and class frequency. |
| Art supplies (children's program) | $80 | $120 | Paper, paint, brushes, clay for kids. ~$25/child/month for up to 5 students initially. |
| Packaging, shipping (online sales) | $80 | $60 | More online orders in low season. International shipping from Guatemala runs $15–40/package. |
| Marketing, social media, content | $50 | $100 | Minimal. Resident artists and guest content generate organic reach. |
| Total Monthly Operating | $1,600 | $2,940 | Annual operating range: ~$25,000–$38,000 (blended across both seasons). |
Low season strategy: Online pottery sales, social content creation, grant writing, curriculum development, and artist residency planning. The quiet months build the audience that fills the room when high season returns.
Year 1 Revenue Projections
Projections assume 5 low-season months (May–Oct) and 7 high-season months (Nov–Apr) based on Lake Atitlán tourism patterns. Benefit concerts are modeled conservatively given they are a core operational pillar — even one well-executed event significantly changes the numbers.
Online sales are the low-season lifeline — pottery ships globally year-round and social media content drives discovery regardless of whether tourists are on the lake. Latin American handmade pottery commands $80–$4,000+ in North American markets. Even 2–3 pieces sold online per week at modest prices sustains meaningful monthly revenue during the rainy season.
Grant & Funding Landscape
By months 4–6, Espiral will have photos, student stories, and early impact data — the most important ingredients for competitive grant applications. Guatemala's 8% tourism growth in 2025 and growing international interest in Central American art make the timing strong.
Grant strategy: Phase 1 focuses on crowdfunding and inner-circle outreach to hit the $10K–$15K launch target. Phase 2 submits to accessible foundations (Puffin, GlobalGiving) with early impact data. Phase 3 targets major grants ($25K–$200K) once 6 months of documented program activity is available. The US 501(c)3 entity is required for most US-based grant applications.
Phased Roadmap
All projections are estimates based on researched market data for San Marcos La Laguna, Lake Atitlán, Guatemala as of 2025–2026. USD figures use approximate exchange rate of 1 USD = 7.9 GTQ. Guatemala minimum wage as of 2026: 4,002 GTQ/month (~$508 USD). Actual costs may vary based on space negotiated, equipment sourced, and seasonal fluctuations. This document is for planning and fundraising purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.
Madizon
Founder · Espiral
In collaboration with Shim · WAVMVMT · espiralpotteryatitlan@gmail.com
A space where art is made, education is shared freely, and both are given back to the community that surrounds it.
Where This Began
This didn't start as a business plan. It started with a feeling. After years of visiting and spending time on the lake, it became clear that there was an opportunity to bring something meaningful to this community, a space where creativity could live, where people could learn from each other, make something with their hands, and grow together.
When that idea was spoken aloud, the community answered immediately. The support was real, deep, and fast.
Then came the children. While making art alongside them, alongside Andrea, alongside the little girls and boys who run through town selling whatever they've made, the vision expanded into something bigger. Not just a studio. An entire ecosystem of creativity, learning, and community.
What We're Building
Art classes, English classes, business and life skills, all taught at no cost to the children of San Marcos and surrounding communities, with local Mayan community members as teachers and mentors. As long as the space stays open, the school stays free.
A fully functional pottery studio open to visitors, travelers, and the local community. Wheels, kilns, glazes, tools. Classes in pottery, jewelry making, basket making, skill trades. The opportunity to engage with local Mayan pottery traditions and techniques. A space that sustains itself and keeps the doors open for everyone else.
Artists from around the world come to Lake Atitlán, one to 3+ months programs. Housing is exchanged for teaching. Their skill becomes the curriculum. Their presence brings the world to the lake.
Opening Doors
The children of San Marcos are already creative. Already resourceful. Already making art and selling it in the streets with whatever they can find. What they deserve is a space to do it in, somewhere they can sit down, learn, experiment, and be surrounded by people who care about them.
Free art classes. Free English classes. Free business training. And the opportunity to employ local mayan community members as pottery teachers, bringing their knowledge into the space, creating jobs, and honouring the craft traditions that are native to this land and its people. These community members become teachers, mentors, and role models, and the children get access to something that wasn't easily within reach before.
This is about providing a doorway. Reading, creating, learning a new language, discovering what you're good at, these are things every child should have access to. That's what the school is here to do.
The Artist Residency
The residency is about connection. Artists come from around the world, they receive housing, a studio, access to community. In return, they share what they know. They teach classes, run workshops, sit with the kids, and create experiences that stay with people long after the clay dries. Their energy flows into the school, into the children, into the local artists who have been building here for generations. It's not transactional, it's the kind of exchange where everyone walks away carrying something new.
The Energy
Stages built. Rooms filled. People moved together through music. This isn't new ground for the people behind Espiral, it's something already happening, just at a new scale and a new place.
If you've ever been to a show where the whole room locks in, where strangers start moving together and something shifts in the air, then you already understand what this energy can do. That feeling doesn't disappear when the music stops. It stays with people. It opens hearts. It makes people want to be part of something.
Live music is part of the DNA of Espiral. Not as a side project or a one-time event, but as a living, breathing part of how the space sustains itself. Benefit concerts bring people to the lake, introduce them to the school, and give them a night they'll talk about long after they leave. Local artists, Latin American musicians, international performers who believe in what we're building. They show up. They play. The school stays free.
Every night of music is another month of art classes for the kids. Every person who dances under the stars at Lake Atitlán carries the story home, and that is how this grows.
How the Concerts Work
Get Involved
We believe in building things together. The schools, the festivals, the music, the properties, we have always done it as a community. This is no different. Here is where you come in.
Have a property in or around San Marcos that fits what we're building? Let's talk. The right space is the first domino, everything else follows.
From equipment and supplies to program costs and scholarships, your support goes directly into the space, the school, and the children in it. Every contribution is visible and accounted for.
Are you an artist, craftsperson, or educator? The residency program is built for you. Bring your skill to the lake. Leave it behind in the kids who'll carry it forward.
We are building a concert series that funds the school. If you perform, if you book, if you know people, the lineup is forming and there is room for you in it.
Share this. Talk about it. Every person who hears about Espiral is one more person who might show up, donate, perform, or teach. The word of mouth is how this moves.
Even $25 keeps a child in art supplies for a month. Recurring donations are the steady heartbeat that keeps the school free no matter what season it is.
"When I look back on my life about the things that saved me, it always comes back to the same things, community, art, caring about something. That is what we are building here. And we know we can do it."
Madizon
Founder · Espiral
San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala
In collaboration with Shim · WAVMVMT · espiralpotteryatitlan@gmail.com
Inquiries & Interests
ESPIRALPOTTERYATITLAN@GMAIL.COM