Short version: a private event is a normal experience with Visibility = Direct link only, plus the dates you open. No separate screen. Five steps.
Setup
1. Create the experience. Experiences → Add an experience. Set name, price, capacity, party-size rules. (Full walkthrough.)
2. Set Visibility. On the experience's Edit page, set the Visibility dropdown to Direct link only — bookable via direct URL, hidden from catalog.
- Not Hidden — Hidden means nobody can book, link or not. (Most common "it's broken" cause.)
- Leave How guests book on Online booking, not By request.
3. (Optional) Own the venue. Tick Blocks other bookings while it runs (owns the venue) if the event should have the space to itself. Leave unticked to let normal sessions run alongside.
4. Add the dates. Open the Schedule page → Special dates panel. Pick the date (e.g. Sat, Sep 26), enter each start time + capacity, add them. (Use the weekly grid only for recurring slots.)
5. Share the link. On the Edit page, the Your direct booking link panel has a ready-made link per location with a Copy button. The link is the only way in — paste it into email, text, or a QR code.
6. Test. Open the link in a private/incognito window, book a spot, void the test charge in Square. Don't send the invite until a spot books cleanly.
Link format
https://book.artistryhost.com/your-venue/your-location?experience=your-experience
Caveat: if the location uses the date-first booking flow, the ?experience= part is ignored and guests land on the calendar instead. The link panel warns you when this applies. To land guests on the event, switch that location to experience-first (how).
Spots not showing?
See Why aren't my spots showing up?. Top two for a private event: the experience is still on Hidden, or a time was skipped as a duplicate of one already on the schedule.