At Montclair Art Museum’s (MAM) Yard School of Art SummerART camp, creative sparks fly at inspiring classes and camps designed and taught by professional artists and educators.
EXPLORING KIDS’ AND TEENS’ CREATIVE POTENTIAL
More than 40 camps are available for artists ages 6-12, as well as classes for young teens from 12-15. MAM’s SummerART allows artists of all ages, abilities and skill levels to discover passions and inspire connections within the studios and museum galleries.
“We’re a creative, nurturing, inclusive— and most importantly, fun!—art camp, and our goal is for students to develop friendships and explore their creative potential,” says Leah Fox, director of MAM’s Vance Wall Art Education Center.
The nearly 20-year-old program offers half- and full-day camps that revolve around themes including under the sea, time-traveling artists and art around the world. Many of the camps focus on specific media, such as printmaking, sculpture, comic, puppetry and fiber arts. SummerART also offers digital arts and a robust ceramics program, as well as an art and nature camp for younger campers available through a collaboration with Van Vleck House and Gardens in Montclair.
“While most of our camps take place in art studios, there’s also very much an active outdoor component—we believe it’s important for kids to go outside every day and enjoy that outdoor summer camp experience,” Fox says.
BUILD A BODY OF WORK—AND LASTING FRIENDSHIPS
Four camp sessions are broken up into two weeks each to allow time for campers to explore a specific theme or artistic medium in depth, as well as build social skills and develop friendships with their peers. Session 1 runs from June 24–July 3; Session 2 from July 8-19; Session 3 from July 22-Aug. 2; and Session 4 from Aug. 5-16.
An exhibition and reception are held at the end of each session to provide campers with the opportunity to celebrate their work and accomplishments with their families. Full-day campers also receive guided gallery tours of the museum exhibits.
“We focus on social-emotional learning, team building and healthy relationships … and our campers leave us with a great body of work that both kids and their families are really excited about,” Fox says. “Better yet, many of the kids come back to the museum to participate in our other art camps and classes throughout the year with the new friends they made over the summer.”
3 South Mountain Ave., Montclair
973-746-5555
montclairartmuseum.org/summerart