Arts Opportunities Abound for Columbus Youth this Summer

For Immediate Release
Wednesday March 30, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Children ages three to 18 can immerse themselves in the arts this summer with a variety of camps and workshops offered by various Columbus arts organizations.

Fun, interactive summer programming in a variety of arts disciplines from the visual arts to music and writing is offered in locations throughout the city.

“The variety of arts education summer learning opportunities grows each year,” said Jami Goldstein, Greater Columbus Arts Council’s (GCAC) Vice President of Marketing and Communications.  “The summer programming offered to youth in Columbus is just as diverse and robust as our community of artists and arts organizations.”

Following is a sample of arts organizations offering youth art opportunities:

BalletMet Columbus
[www.balletmet.org](https://www.balletmet.org) 
Classes and camps featuring multiple dance disciplines and collaborative camps with Columbus Children’s Theatre

CCAD
[www.ccad.edu](https://www.ccad.edu/programs-of-study/community-classes/classes-and-workshops-2016)
An array of arts education classes and workshops:  painting, drawing, mixed media, digital photography, animation and fashion design

Columbus Children’s Theatre
[www.columbuschildrenstheatre.org](https://www.columbuschildrenstheatre.org) 
Numerous aspects of theater exploration: musical theater, improv, animation, multi-media, movie making and collaborative camps with BalletMet Columbus and area arts and recreation centers 

Columbus Museum of Art
[www.columbusmuseum.org](https://www.columbusmuseum.org)
Workshops offered immerse students in a variety of art disciplines such as visual arts, video, costume design, storytelling and comics

Columbus Recreation and Parks
[www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks.gov](https://www.columbus.gov/recreationandparks/programs/Recreation-and-Parks-Art-Programs)
A variety of arts-related camps and classes focusing on performing arts, drawing, painting, sculpting, arts and crafts and dance

Dublin Arts Council
[www.dublinarts.org/education/classschedule.aspx](https://www.dublinarts.org/education/classschedule.aspx)
Multi-disciplinary arts camps available include: painting, mixed media, clay and sculpting and theater camp with CATCO

Franklin Park Conservatory
[www.fpconservatory.org](https://www.fpconservatory.org)
Nature meets art with arts-centric opportunities that include gardening and horticulture, cooking and culinary arts, fine art and wellness

King Arts Complex
[www.kingartscomplex.com/summer-camp](https://www.kingartscomplex.com/summer-camp)
The eight-week summer arts camp is for ages five to 13. This year’s theme theme around The Black Arts Movement (BAM) students will explore black poets, artists, dramatists, musicians, and writers who emerged in the wake of the Black Power Movement. 

McConnell Arts Center
[www.mcconnellarts.org/classes/youth-classes](https://www.mcconnellarts.org/classes/youth-classes)
Visual, performing and literary arts camps as well as collaborative learning camps with BalletMet Columbus and Columbus Children’s Theatre

Shadowbox
[www.shadowboxlive.org/academy/summer-bootcamp](https://www.shadowboxlive.org/academy/summer-bootcamp)
Shadowbox Boot Camp gives high school students an authentic Shadowbox Live educational experience with workshops in four performance disciplines: singing, dancing, acting and musicianship, as well as discussions of arts administration and production

Thurber House
[www.thurberhouse.org/summer-camp1](https://www.thurberhouse.org/summer-camp1)
Writing camps that explore storytelling, poetry, songwriting, and other ways of artistic expression.

Goldstein added that many Columbus-area recreation centers and multi-disciplinary camps often partner with Columbus artists and arts organizations on additional classes, camps and workshops in Columbus neighborhoods.   

There are also numerous community events throughout the summer such as the Columbus Arts Festival, Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival, ProMusica’s Summer Concert Series at Franklin Park Conservatory, Upper Arlington Arts Festival, Jazz and Rib Fest and the Dublin Arts Festival that offer low or no-cost arts activities for kids.

About Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art
Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art is the theme of a sustained five-year campaign to demonstrate the vitality, the innovation and the connectivity within the Columbus arts community. Highlighting the personal stories and artistic ventures of local individual artists from across all disciplines, this unprecedented collaboration between and within the arts, business and philanthropic communities underscores how deeply ingrained creativity is in the fabric of Columbus. Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art features a cutting-edge website, columbusmakesart.com, with an interactive calendar that serves as an all-encompassing, go-to resource for arts events, showings, activities and tickets. Engaging videos of Columbus artists telling their own stories are housed on the website. The campaign can be seen around Central Ohio via digital billboards, movie theaters, concert venues, social and print media, electronic and digital advertising, and public service announcements.

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