2023 PERFORMING ARTS AND VISUAL ARTS SUMMER CAMPS
Wilson Arts is excited to offer a variety of amazing summer camps. Whether it's a love for drawing, sculpting, fashion, on the stage, or behind the stage - there's a little something for everyone!
Visual arts camps will be held at the Wilson Arts Center at 204 Nash Street S.
Performing arts camps will be held in the Edna Boykin Cultural Center at 108 Nash Street NE.
Each camp is designed to be both educational AND fun, with an emphasis on exploring new skills and techniques and flexing your child’s CREATIVE muscles! We are committed to providing a safe, clean learning environment, and our experienced educators will make sure that FUN is at the heart of everything.
Member discounts are based on current 2023 fund drive contributions. To receive discount benefits, become a member today and the discounted rate will apply! Call Wilson Arts at (252) 291-4329 or visit www.wilsonarts.com/membership/ to sign up today.
For those Visual Arts Camp attendees who are attending both a morning and afternoon session, we are offering a childcare option between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. for the convenience of parents who may not have time to pick up their child in between. The cost is $25 per child for the full week. PLEASE NOTE: LUNCH IS NOT INCLUDED. You will still need to provide your child with a lunch and a drink - only childcare is provided. For full day Performing Arts Camp attendees, meals are not provided for participants, so please send them to camp with appropriate snacks and/or lunches, including drinks. Please try to avoid nut products.
Scroll down to see all the amazing summer camp options available this summer!
2023 Visual Arts Camps
Maximum of 15 students per Visual Arts Camp
PLAY. PAINT. PARTY. with Kim Valentine
Dates: June 12-16
Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Ages: 8-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Do you have a creative kid who loves to paint, draw, and have a blast experimenting with art techniques? Instructor and artist Kim Valentine teaches the fundamentals of art while encouraging each child’s creativity. Campers will be introduced to some of the master’s to expose them to different styles, and then will create their OWN masterpieces to take home!
Funky Flour Power with Nicole Thomas
Dates: June 12-16
Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Ages: 5-12
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
THIS CAMP IS NOW FULL. You may request to be waitlisted on the form - we will contact you if a spot opens up or if we are able to have another session of the camp.
Calling all budding food artists! Back again this year is one of our most popular camps ever – Flour Power! Campers will learn basic baking techniques and explore different decorating applications with instruction from local cookie artist extraordinaire, Nicole Thomas of Cole Cole’s Cupcakes & Confections. (NOTE: This camp is for beginners)
Illustration Station: Drawing 101 with Frank Johnson III
Dates: June 12-16
Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 5-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Climb aboard to learn the basics of drawing & composition with artist and art instructor Frank Johnson III. Campers will learn the building blocks of sketching and how to break down complicated objects into simple shapes. This is a great camp for kids that enjoy drawing and want to learn the tools for more realistic results.
Artists' Playground with Maddie Murphy
Dates: June 12-16
Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 8-12
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Does an afternoon of drawing & painting sound like music to your ears? Then this is the camp for you! Join artist Maddie Murphy for some fun & creative instruction in drawing techniques and playful painting. This camp is great for beginners that want to try different mediums as well more experienced artists that want to learn something new!
The Art of Nature: Intro to Bookmaking with Renee J. Moore
Dates: June 19-23
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ages: 8-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Hello nature lovers - here is the camp for you! Artist & nature lover Renee J. Moore will be exploring the ways we see & experience nature through art. Campers will learn to use natural materials as mark making tools, make paper using natural pulp, and assemble their very own art journals
My Artistic Self #1 with Tiara Taylor
Dates: June 19-23
Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 5-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
In this creative journey led by Wilson Arts staff member and educator Tiara Taylor, our campers will find their own artistic voice by investigating different creative mediums each day – everything from origami and collage to painting and jewelry making! This would be a perfect camp for those who may be new to exploring the creative process – there’s a little bit of everything to try!
Draw Your Heart Out with Frank Johnson III
Dates: June 19-23
Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 8-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
In this advanced drawing camp, kids will learn how to take their work to the next level with artist and art instructor Frank Johnson III. Campers will hone their skills in line, composition, shading and drawing from real life. They will also explore using different mediums, problem-solving, when to deviate from the plan, and how to use color to make their work pop!
Exploring Abstract Art with Renee J. Moore
Dates: July 10-14
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ages: 8-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Campers will explore the world of abstract through "Intuitive Art”. They will be introduced to the elements of design, then jump into building their own compositions through hands-on techniques. This will be an exploration of mixed media where there is no “right” or “wrong” way…it’s all part of the process!
Wild Things: Mixed Media Mania with Kim Valentine
Dates: July 10-14
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ages: 5-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Campers will explore and utilize a variety of mediums including paper, paint, and collage to create their mixed-media masterpieces! This camp would be perfect for both new and experienced young artists who want to stretch their imaginations to experiment and express themselves in new ways!
Outside the Lines with Maddie Murphy
Dates: July 10-14
Time: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 8-12
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Already know the basics & want to take your work to the next level? This is the camp for you! Artist Maddie Murphy will help strengthen your skills in drawing from still life, try your hand at mark making & let loose with gestural drawing.
Funky Flour Power - Level Up! with Nicole Thomas
Dates: July 17-21
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ages: 8-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
How sweet it is… Nicole is back and offering the next level in baking and decorating! Campers will learn more advanced decorating techniques, dive into creating cake pops and try their hand at other new baking treats! This camp is for kids who already know the basics and want to learn more challenging baking techniques!
My Artistic Self #2 with Tiara Taylor
Dates: July 17-21
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ages: 5-18
Cost: $80 Non-Members | $70 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Round 2! Tiara is back to guide our campers to find their own artistic voice by investigating different creative mediums each day. They will try everything from origami and collage to painting and jewelry making! This would be a perfect camp for those who may be new to exploring the creative process – there’s a little bit of everything to try!
2023 Performing Arts Camps
Maximum of 30 students per Performing Arts Camp
Disney's Winnie the Pooh KIDS
Dates: June 26-30
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 5-15
Cost: $130 Non-Members | $115 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Camp Performance: Friday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m.
General Admission Tickets: $5 per person
Disney's Winnie the Pooh KIDS is a delightful show based on the beloved characters of A.A. Milne and the 2011 Disney animated feature film. Featuring favorite songs from the film, as well as new hits by the Academy Award-winning Robert and Kristen Lopez (Frozen), this honey-filled delight is as sweet as it is fun.
Welcome to the Hundred Acre Wood, where Winnie the Pooh is once again in search of honey. Along the way, he meets his pals, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Owl, but soon discovers that Christopher Robin has been captured by the mysterious Backson! As they prepare for a rescue operation, the animals learn about teamwork, friendship and, of course... sharing snacks.
Campers will love this fun-filled crash course that will expose them to all aspects of theater and how to put on a show-stopping production in just one week. From auditioning to set and costume work to blocking and memorization, they will exercise skills of personal expression, organization, and teamwork as they work toward the final camp performance live on the Boykin Stage for family and friends.
Annie KIDS
Dates: July 17-21
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 5-15
Cost: $130 Non-Members | $115 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Camp Performance: Friday, July 21 at 7:00 p.m.
General Admission Tickets: $5 per person
Based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, with a beloved book and score by Tony Award-winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, Annie KIDS features everyone’s favorite little redhead in her very first adventure.
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. Annie is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of an orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Annie eventually foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations, finding a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
Campers will love this fun-filled crash course that will expose them to all aspects of theater and how to put on a show-stopping production in just one week. From auditioning to set and costume work to blocking and memorization, they will exercise skills of personal expression, organization, and teamwork as they work toward the final camp performance live on the Boykin Stage for family and friends.
Legally Blonde The Musical JR.
Dates: July 24-28
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Ages: 12-18
Cost: $130 Non-Members | $115 for Wilson Arts 2023 Members
Camp Performance: Friday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m.
General Admission Tickets: $5 per person
This camp is for our older and more experienced theater kids, who will enjoy the opportunity to hone their skills and showcase their talents as they challenge themselves to stage a high-energy production in only a week!
Based on the award-winning Broadway musical and the smash hit motion picture, Legally Blonde The Musical JR. is a fabulously fun journey of self-empowerment and expanding horizons. The show's instantly recognizable songs are filled with humor, wit and sass — leaving cast members and audiences alike seeing pink!
Legally Blonde The Musical JR. follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. When Elle's boyfriend, Warner, dumps her and heads to Harvard, claiming she's not "serious" enough, Elle takes matters into her own hands, crafting a showy song-and-dance personal essay and charming her way into law school. Befriending classmate, Emmett, and spunky hairdresser, Paulette, along the way, Elle finds that books and looks aren't mutually exclusive. As Elle begins outsmarting her peers, she realizes that law may be her natural calling after all.
IMPORTANT CAMP INFORMATION
For your convenience, forms may be submitted on-line with your secure payment through Paypal (no account required) by clicking the link provided. PLEASE NOTE: Member discounts are available for those who have contributed to Wilson Arts during calendar year 2023. Please be sure that you have contributed during this calendar year before selecting the member discount price.
Eligibility: Children are only eligible to register for a camp if they fall within the appropriate age range for that specific camp.
Registration: You must complete the Registration and Health/Permission forms and submit them with payment in order for your child to be registered – we cannot “hold” spots without payment.
Payment: Camp fees are listed for each camp. Full payment is due at the time of registration. No refunds will be given for participant cancellations once your child is registered. We are accepting registrations up to ten days prior to the camp’s start on Monday.
Cancellations: Wilson Arts reserves the right to cancel camps due to low enrollment. Campers will be notified by the Tuesday preceding the camp’s start on Monday if the camp will be canceled. A full refund (or credit toward a different camp) will be issued only if summer camps are canceled by Wilson Arts.
Scholarships: Scholarships are available based on financial need. Forms may be downloaded from the link below, or you may pick them up at Wilson Arts. Please submit scholarship applications at least two weeks prior to the start of the camp.
Wilson Arts Scholarship Application
Arrivals and Departures: All campers are to check in at either the new Wilson Arts Center (for Visual Arts camps) or the Edna Boykin Cultural Center (for Performing Arts camps) no earlier than 15 minutes prior to the start of camp. Morning camps begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. and afternoon camps begin at 1:00 p.m., and you must accompany your child into the building and sign them in. Please call Wilson Arts if your child will be late or not attending a day of camp. When dropping off and picking up your child, you will be required to sign him/her out. Only persons authorized on the Permission Form will be allowed to pick up your child. If you are more than 30 minutes late picking up your camper, a $10.00 fee will be assessed.
Snacks & Lunches: Please remember to send snacks and lunch along with drinks for those attending full day performing arts camps. If your child is participating in all day visual arts camps, ask about our Lunch Bunch option if you need lunchtime child care.
YOUTH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Wilson Arts is looking for a few talented, enthusiastic and dedicated youth Camp Counselors ages 16-18 to help make our summer camp 2023 season AMAZING! Participants will receive an official letter documenting hours and service for school or civic organizations that require volunteer hours. Volunteers MUST be willing and able to attend the entire camp session you've signed up for, and engage with both the instructor(s) and the campers to enhance the educational experience AND the fun! Please use the buttons below to submit interest in being a summer camp volunteer.