Edmonton kids can get creative this summer
Art is everywhere and can be accessed anytime. Edmonton’s youth may only get a taste of art class during the school year, but feel a need to carry on learning how to paint, sing, dance, etc., year-round. Edmonton offers these kids many venues to keep on growing and developing as artists through its many summer camps. Artists of all ages can enjoy the chance to learn a new artistic talent, or hone one they already had.
ARTBREAK CAMP: PORTFOLIO PREP
The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) has as many art camps as a Crayola carton has colours, but one of the most interesting and rare among this cache is the Portfolio Prep class. Across Edmonton, many organizations and businesses can teach kids how to make art — but very few of them teach them how to be artists. In this class, youth aged 13 – 17 learn the finer points of creating portfolios and applications to galleries and art schools, all while working on pieces of art that will help get them noticed.
This five-day camp runs from July 15 – 19, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. It costs $317 for AGA members and $352 for non-members and takes place at the gallery. For more information and to register, visit youraga.ca/whats-happening/calendar/artbreak-camp-portfolio-prep. Additional courses can also be accessed on the AGA’s website, and the organization’s main phone number is 780-4255379.
ACTING UP! DRAMA CAMP
If your kid has a flair for the dramatic, the City of Edmonton’s Acting Up! Drama Camps might be for them. The camps offer improv games, script development and on the final day of class the students act their hearts out in a closing performance. There are nine of these camps this coming summer, split into different age groups and start times — each starts with 12 spots open, and registration is open now.
There are three age groups for these courses, 11 – 14, seven to 10 and eight to 12. The first of these roughly work-week-long classes begin on Jul 2 and the last runs until Aug. 16. The days are either 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or 1 – 4 p.m.. They all take place at the drama room in City Arts Centre (10943 84 Ave), multi-purpose room 205 in the Meadows Community Recreation Centre (2704 17 St), or the multi-purpose room C at the Terwillegar Arena (2051 Leger Rd.). Most of the classes are $145 for five days, but three fourday courses are available as well. They are the 11 – 14 and seven to 10 classes that runs Aug. 6 – 9, and the eight to 12 class that runs July 2 – 5. These shorter classes cost $116. More information on scheduling and registration can be found at movelearnplay.edmonton.ca, or by calling the City of Edmonton’s 311 number.
I AM AN ARTIST
Start your pint-sized Picassos off early with this structured class, hosted by the Pygmalion School of Fine Art. Here, students ages five to nine will learn a variety of techniques to express themselves artistically. Pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, paint are just a few of the media that students will experiment under the tutelage of instructor Dixie Orriss.
The classes from from 10 a.m. until noon the following weeks: July 8 – 12 and 15 – 19, and Aug. 12 to 16. The classes cost $190 and take place at the Pygmalion School of Fine Art, 8645 McKenney Ave., in St. Albert. For more information and to register, visit pygmalionartschool.com/ product/5-day-art-camp-69yo or call .780-460-1677.