Summer fun at the Appleton Museum of Art

Students in the 2023 Summer Art Camp at the Appleton Museum of Art show off their artworks. [Photo courtesy of the Appleton Museum of Art]

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Posted April 18, 2024 | By Victoria Billig, Assistant Director, Appleton Museum of Art

There’s no better place to have a creative, art-filled summer than at the Appleton Museum of Art’s Summer Art Camp. Children ages 5-17 are invited to discover the work of renowned artists, experiment with a variety of materials and try out new techniques to create masterpieces.

No experience is necessary to enroll in any of the camps, which are all taught by professional art educators and teaching artists who will lead campers through a variety of projects each week. Divided into three age groups, the camps and projects are inspired by the museum’s vast collection of more than 24,000 objects, spanning centuries and continents.

For young campers ages 5-7, offerings include weeklong explorations of materials that teach about important artists, works of art and art movements throughout history. Fun themes such as “Meet the Artists,” “Storybook Art” and “Groovy and Glowing” will have everyone entertained through engaging walks through the galleries and plenty of studio time packed with fun, hands-on projects.

For ages 8-12, there are 15 different camps on the schedule, including several that focus on specific exhibitions. “Around the World,” offered June 3-7, explores global artmaking practices, looking to various works from the collection as well as the special exhibition, “Across the Threshold of India: Photographs by Martha Strawn,” for inspiration. “Bird is the Word,” scheduled July 15-19, uses Robert W. Smeltzer’s whimsical bird carvings from the exhibition “Outsider Aviary” as reference. This age group can also take advantage of a special offsite camp at the College of Central Florida’s picturesque Vintage Farm from June 24-28. Not just beautiful to see, it is a working farm and teaching campus. Appleton campers will spend the week looking at plant and animal life as sources of inspiration for their work, with indoor and outdoor studio time. Other subjects explored in camps for ages 8-12 include architecture, clay, jewelry making and more.

Teens ages 13-17 can choose from three different camps: “3D Creations,” “Skulls and Skeletons” and “Plein Air Painting”—all excellent for building their portfolios or learning something new.

Currently, the Appleton Summer Art Camp program is 50% full, so register quickly. With less than two months left in the school year, summer break is right around the corner. Camps are one week in length and meet for three hours each day, unless otherwise noted. Included with the registration fee are daily snacks and an art camp t-shirt. Camps are discounted for Appleton members.

For complete, details go to AppletonMuseum.org/2024SummerArtCamp