Summer arts camps planned in Jamestown for grades K-2, 3-6

JAMESTOWN — The Arts Center will offer programming for children in grades K-2 this summer, said Anna Jacobson, director of education and exhibitions.

The Arts Center announced a $2 million capital campaign in March to purchase and renovate the former Wonder Bar building. As part of that, Jacobson said they are looking at ways The Arts Center can benefit the community including providing art classes for groups that have not had consistent programming. In addition to K-2, she said they are looking at adding programming for grades 6-8 and 9-12.

Summer programming for children in grades K-6 begins on June 5 and runs through Aug. 3. In August, the Arts After School fall programming for grades 3-6 is expected to begin.

The grades K-2 summer camps will be slightly more than an hour on Monday through Thursday mornings to give those young children a little taste of art with different classes and instructors, she said.

Camps are also planned for what Jacobson calls The Arts Center’s “staple group” consisting of grades 3-6, which will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

“That’s the group that we’ve had programming for the most and it’s a really solid program,” Jacobson said.

The featured artists for the summer camps will work with the K-2 and grades 3-6 groups, providing age-appropriate classes for both, she said.

“We’re hoping to display what the students have made or created in the art camps at our Thursday night arts in the park (Downtown Arts Market),” Jacobson said. “They (people) should come for the free music and come see what the kids have been working on all week and enjoy the evening out.”

Other programs include a mini camp for two days July 5-6 for both groups and the grades 3-8 summer musical “Cinderella,” a collaboration with the Two Rivers Performing Arts School, which will be directed by Mark Reeves.

The Monday through Thursday camps are $60. Mini camps from July 5-6 will be $45. Participation in “Cinderella” is $60 for the first child, $10 for the second and $5 for the third in a family, Jacobson said.

“There are scholarships available,” she said. “People have to contact us. We don’t give discounts but we have scholarships and we’re happy to work with people on it. Because we want to make art available to as many kids as possible.”

Programming that’s been offered this year to children in grades K-2 includes “Old School and Preschool,” where a grandparent or older adult brings a child and they do an art project together with an art instructor. The classes last one hour and are provided on the third Wednesday of the month during the school year, Jacobson said.“We touch on different art basics of trying to get these two generations working together to create an art project,” she said.

The next class is May 17 and costs $15 for the pair taking it, she said. Additional children would be $5 per child. Information can be obtained on The Arts Center’s website to register or people may call ahead to learn what topic will be featured in that month. The classes will then begin again in the fall.

Jacobson noted that with the planned expansion of The Arts Center, there will be opportunities to address the needs of more people in the community. She noted that the Arts After School group, for grades 3-6, ends after the sixth grade but sixth grade students remain interested in classes. She said they want to continue offering them programming along with programming for students in grades 7-12. With more space from the renovation project, she expects that to be possible.

“One large piece for me that will change my job, in particular, is that we will go from having one classroom in this (current Arts Center) space to having three classrooms in this space,” she said.

That will give The Arts Center more room for programming for grades 6-8 and other age groups, she said. She noted that the Arts After School programs are not lacking for participants.

“We’re always full and we have waiting lists on most of our classes,” she said. She encourages early registration for those classes, noting about 500 children participate in programming in an average school year, she noted. But the classes themselves currently are available to 12 to 15 students at a time due to limited space.

Jacobson also noted that Arts After School provides busing from the school to The Arts Center and from The Arts Center to the student’s home in Jamestown after class.

“About half of our group is bused both ways, so that’s one of the great pieces of this program,” she said.

For more information on programs or to register a child, visit www.jamestownarts.com . Scholarships are available upon request. For questions, call 251-2496.

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*For students going into grades 3-8 in 2023-24 school year.

Auditions: Friday, May 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 20, 9:30-10:30 a.m., at Two Rivers Performing Arts School, 116 1st Ave. S, Jamestown

Camp dates: July 12-14, 17-21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at The Arts Center, 115 2nd St. SW. Bring sack lunch, snacks, water bottle.

Performances: July 22, 3 and 6 p.m., at The Arts Center

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When: 9:15-10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday

*A snack will be provided. Students should bring their own water bottles.

June 5-8: Early Artist Clay Creations with Bill Nybo

June 12-15: Early Artist World of Colors with April Symes

June 19-22: Early Artist Sticks and Strings with Linda Roesch

June 26-29: Early Artist Wearable Art with Linda Roesch

Mini Camp July 5-6: Early Artist Mosaic with Molly McLain

July 10-13: Early Artist Prints with Carrie Sapa

July 17-20: Early Artist Art Creations with Samantha Lokemoen and Krista Kuize

July 24-27: Early Artist Draw and Paint with Samantha Lokemoen and Krista Kuize

July 31-Aug. 3: Early Artist Secret Garden Art with Samantha Lokemoen and Krista Kuize

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When: Noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday

* Students should have lunch before coming to camp. They may bring a snack and water bottle with them (no snacks/lunch provided).

June 5-8: Clay Creations with Bill Nybo

June 12-15: Tie Dye with April Symes

June 19-22: Sticks and Strings with Linda Roesch

June 26-29: Wearable Art with Linda Roesch

Mini Camp July 5-6: Mosaic with Molly McLain

July 10-13: Screening printing with Carrie Sapa

July 12-14, 17-21: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Summer Musical, “Cinderella.” Bring lunch, snack, water bottle.

July 24-27: The Art Masters with Samantha Lokemoen and Krista Kuize

July 31-Aug: 3: Secret Garden Art with Samantha Lokemoen and Krista Kuize

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July 10-12: 2-5:30 p.m., Outdoor Mural Painting with Samantha Lokemoen and Krista Kuize