Are you still figuring out summer camp plans? Ava Olivera from the Center for Creative Arts shares what summers are like for their campers.
At CCArts, we believe that everyone, regardless of age or ability, can be creative and express themselves through art. We are always happy to welcome kiddos who may not have any experience with art just yet.
They believe art is essential for human development, academic success, and cultural enrichment. The summer camp programs are instructed by professional teaching artists specializing in various mediums.
What makes CCArts so special is the close-knit community that acts as the foundation of our organization. Through empathy and authentic connection, our staff and instructors take the time to learn and understand each student's artistic interests and needs. As a result, each individual's artistic perspective is valued and they are provided with the space to explore and nurture their artistry
They have been pioneering art education for more than 40 years. The Center for the Creative Arts teaches art that aims to transform, inspire, and enrich the lives of each individual who sets foot in our doors. We believe that one of the main factors that keeps people engaged in our community is that we take the time to meet people where they are with kindness. We want our students to feel safe and seen. This dedication to creating brave spaces where all people can learn and be themselves combined with our passion for the arts has grown our community for generations.
The Center for the Creative Arts is run by a small but mighty team! Many people do not realize that CCArts is a non-profit organization, with the majority of programming being carried out by three full-time employees behind the scenes. With the support of our fabulous volunteers and teaching artists, the tiny team makes a major impact on the lives of our students, campers, and community!
Every summer, we invite young people interested in the arts and youth education to act as “interns.” They assist our teaching artists in basic classroom tasks and art activities. Previous campers as well as new participants between the ages of 15-19 are welcome to apply to become a CCArts Intern at to apply.
What is your camper return rate?
- CCArts summer camps act as a safe space for campers to connect with their peers and themselves in ways they may not get to during the school year. We welcome our campers to join us in discovering their inner creativity and invite them to explore self-expression through a variety of artistic mediums.
- Due to the welcoming atmosphere of our programming, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing so many campers who originally joined us in kindergarten, come back every summer until they’ve aged out of camp in high school. We’ve even had the pleasure of welcoming back campers who first started off taking camps with us while they were in elementary school return to CCArts as interns once they’ve entered high school and college.
CCArts acts as a safe space for many students to freely express their most authentic selves on the canvas or while connecting with peers who share similar interests. One significant piece of feedback we received during this past year’s summer camp was a parent who let us know that her camper is “always left smiling when he leaves CCArts”, something that the family had not experienced during this camper’s school experience.
In addition to providing a safe space for our campers to express themselves individually, our program builds deep connections among them. We often overhear campers chatting at lunch and in the pick-up line, sharing their favorite projects, memories from their day, and even what they are looking forward to for the rest of the summer. Year after year, our campers are excited to connect with their CCArts friends during the summer.
We provide campers with the opportunity to explore projects and mediums that may not often encounter at school or other organizations, such as mosaics, pottery wheel throwing, oil painting, and stained glass Last but not least, we hear over and over each summer how fun it is to be at CCArts camp.
It's not just summer camp. Many of CCArts' summer camp instructors teach youth and adult classes year-round like:
- Outside of summer camp, we offer an array of visual and performing arts classes for all ages. We also offer one-day specialty workshops and host exciting community events such as open mic nights, music festivals, art exhibitions, outdoor markets, and more!
- CCArts also hosts memorable art-themed birthday parties for children and adults! Their birthday parties feature instruction from one of our professional teaching artists with a variety of painting, drawing, mixed media, pottery, and jewelry-themed projects.
