While school may be out for the Summer, the young artists in our community are just getting started. Whether you or your family are looking for a fun afternoon, a chance to learn a new skill, or even a 6 hour long studio class, Washtenaw County has the perfect fit for you!
Ann Arbor Art Center (A2AC)
Located in Downtown Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor Art Center has everything from youth to teen day camps, single day workshops, to weekly classes. If you have a teen looking to learn about ceramic sculpture then consider looking into Week one of teen camp focusing on wheel throwing and sculptural figures. If you have a third grader with a love for the middle ages then consider Week five: Welcome to the Renaissance. Campers are dropped off at 9am and picked up at 4pm. Prices range from around $385 to $465 per week and spots are filling up! Jump in on the waitlist now and join in on the fun!
Riverside Art CenterÂ
Overlooking the Huron River, the Riverside Art Center serves the community of Ypsilanti, Washtenaw and beyond. The Riverside Art Center offers diverse and high-quality instruction. Whether you are looking for painting, sculpture, performance, or just a place to meet other creatives, Riverside has got your back. This Summer the Riverside Art Center is hosting their annual Art Explorers Summer Camps! From June 22 to August 7 Campers will learn about optical illusions, fashion, painting and more! Campers will attend from 9am to 3pm where they are provided lunch and two daily snacks. Campers are not expected to bring any supplies. Cost for Ypsilanti campers is $285 and $300 for non-Ypsilanti campers. Outside of their camps, Riverside also offers classes on stained glass, garment construction and dance! If you are looking for a welcoming and authentic environment, Riverside could be just the place for you!
Ypsilanti Public LibraryÂ
From workshops on Zines and fiction from YpsiWrites, to drop in D&D for teens, and a cyanotype bookmark workshop, Ypsilanti’s public libraries have something for everyone! A whole host of events all summer long! Through their partnership with YpsiWrites, the public library has workshops designed to support local Ypsilanti artists and young growing authors. By connecting with local writers, families can be assured that great writing can and does come from everywhere!
Ann Arbor District LibraryÂ
From five fantastic branches and countless devoted staff, the Ann Arbor Public library is bringing three months of programming and events. The library has published their summer itinerary so that you can add items to your own! Just navigate to the AADL website, select events, and scroll down the bottom of the page. Events are sorted by topic with arts and crafts having their own tab. Swing by and learn to sew, print, puppeteer, and just maybe head home with a book or two!
Ypsi Art Supply
If you’re looking to support small businesses this summer, then consider checking out Ypsi Art Supply. Owned by Megan Foldenauer, MA, PHD, the Ypsi Art Supply runs classes teaching drawing, the science of art supplies, and fiber arts. For teens fourteen and up, classes run by Lena Elis-Boatman offer beginner lessons in items like print-making and fiber arts in a friendly environment. As these classes are a mix of adult and youth, this is the perfect environment for an independent teen looking to up their art game. Class prices are determined on a sliding scale and take place in the YAS studio. Additionally, for those interested in hosting a class, the Ypsi Art Supply serves as a hosting space for guest teachers.
Clay Work Studio
Located on Plymouth Road, Clay Work Studio is, if you couldn’t guess from the name, all about clay. Clay Work Studio offers week long youth camps for ages 8-18 in which campers work on three projects per week. The focus is not on producing gifts or products, but exploring the medium and learning to be creative with clay. Campers will work from 9am to 12pm. The week-long camp costs $350 per week. Clay work studio also hosts youth classes focusing on a range of subjects that occur once per week. Tuition costs $180 and make-up classes are not available. In addition to the youth camps and classes, Clay Work Studio offers six-week long courses targeted towards adults. While these classes do not cater towards children, for older teens with experience working with clay or a desire to transition to the mixed age settings of university, these longer classes could be a good fit. Course topics include wheel throwing, figurative sculpture, and handbuilding. These six-week courses cost around $340 each.
Art Corner StudioÂ
For students looking to learn about painting and design, Art Corner Studio offers both summer camps and classes year-round. Here students learn about the basics of technique, proportion and color. Students will learn about colored pencil, sketching, ink, markers, oil paints and more. Just a quick glance at their student gallery shows that they know their stuff. Art Corner Studio also helps students prepare for national competitions such as the youth Duck and Fish Stamp competition and the Marine Art Contest. Summer camps have both a 10 and 5 day long option with students also having the option to choose 6 hour long or 3 hour long studio hours. The fees are based on hours spent so prices range from $275 to $985.
RELATED: 826michigan’s Teen Leadership Lab: Supporting Young Writers in the Ann Arbor AreaÂ
Write the World
Perhaps your teen is looking for a creative outlet that can last all year long. In that case, consider checking out Write the World. This non-profit is completely free to join and is dedicated to developing teen writers and editors. From ages 12 to 19, young people can post their creative writing to their profile, give and receive detailed feedback, and connect to other young creatives all over the world. In addition to a place to publish work, Write the World hosts competitions where teens receive feedback from professional writers and can even win cash prizes! Write the World also has leadership opportunities, allowing teens to serve as Youth Ambassadors, help serve the site, and even be paid for their efforts.
