Art camps can help build confidence and develop creative skills.
A wide range of summer art camps are held across the south of Florida, most organized by universities, private colleges or other nonprofit organizations. As well as helping youngsters develop their creative skills, they can also be a useful means of building confidence and social skills, while also allowing kids to have fun during the school holidays. For older students, such camps can also be useful in improving a college application.
Fine Arts
Students wanting to hone their fine arts skills over the summer months are able to take classes at a number of general camps. However, the annual Beaux Arts camp hosted by the Lowe Art Museum in Florida is solely focused on this area, offering five specialist sessions over the summer period. Campers are able to explore a range of art techniques, including drawing, sculpture, painting and paper mache, often alongside professionals from the Miami museum. Elsewhere, the North Broward Preparatory School offers annual summer fine arts camps at its South Florida campus. One- and two-week camps are available, with lessons also given in performing arts and music.
Culture-Specific Summer Art Camps
In addition to standard arts camps, several culture-specific camps are held over the summer months in the south of Florida. The county of Dade in the Miami area, for example, plays host to an African Heritage Cultural Arts camp and an Hispanic Arts camp each summer. The former, which is held at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Miami, is spread out over the course of 10 weeks and offers youngsters 6 to 16 the chance to improve their visual art skills, as well as improve in the fields of musical theatre, drama and music. At the end of the camp, a grand recital and exhibition is held at the Joseph Caleb Auditorium. At the Raices Hispanic Cultural Arts Center at Miller Drive Park, an Hispanic-specific art camp also focuses on visual arts, as well as dance, drama and music, with students able to take a range of classes given by distinguished art professionals.
Young Campers
The Art Center of South Florida runs summer camps aimed at younger campers, welcoming in particular first-time campers and those in grades K-2. The 10-day long camps, which run through the summer, are non-residential and are composed of a series of art classes. At the end of each camp, special "Extravaganzas" are held at the Center, giving the young campers a chance to show off their work.
Residential Camps
Residential art camps can help children gain a sense of independence while also helping to develop their creative abilities. The Kampus Kampers summer camp, which is held on the campus of Lynn University in the South of Florida welcomes campers between the ages of 6 and 13. Describing itself as a "sleep away transition camp," the campers sleep over during the weeks and go home at the weekends. While the activities on offer are varied, several of the programs on offer focus on arts and crafts, with talent shows at the end of each camp allowing children to exhibit their best work.
Tags: Arts camp, Cultural Arts, over summer, able take, African Heritage, African Heritage Cultural
