Summer Arts Activities for Kids

Keep your kids immersed in the arts all summer long…

WITH MUSIC

RiverCity RockStar Academy

RiverCity RockStar Academy encourages youth to explore the creative side of music with two different camps that welcome first-time players to advanced musicians. 

Summer Rock Camp, for ages 6 to 12, is a week of learning to play music in a band and performing songs at a rock show for family and friends. Sign up for one or both of the sessions offered July 19 to 23 and August 16 to 20. 

In the Teen Rock Band Workshop, youth 13 through 18 will learn to play and perform music in a real band. At the end of the workshop, students will perform their songs at the RiverCity studio for family and friends. Workshops take place June 23 to 25, July 14 to 16 and August 4 to 6. Get the low down at rocksalem.com/camps-workshops.

WITH THEATER

Children’s Educational Theatre

Children’s Educational Theatre hosts a five-week-long summer program. Students entering grades 4 through 12 can experience all aspects of the performing and technical arts 

including acting, music, dance, technical theater, stage combat, improvisation and more. 

Students enrolled in the performance program will be cast in one of this year’s productions: High School Musical Jr., This is Hamlet (a comedy), The Trials of Robin Hood or She Kills Monsters Young Adventurers Edition by Qui Nguyen. Students enrolled in the technical arts program get to work behind the scenes on lighting, stage management, prop making, and more. 

CET takes place June 28 through July 31 at North Salem High School, 765 14th St. NE. Visit www.cetsalem.org for all the details.

Enlightened Theatrics

Enlightened Theatrics has multiple opportunities for youth from grade 2 through 12 this summer.

The Broadway Dreams Summer Intensive returns July 8 through 11. Students will train in voice, acting and dancing with Spencer Liff of So You Think You Can Dance plus Ryann Redmond and Noah Ricketts of Disney’s Frozen: The Musical. The program wraps with two performances on Sunday, July 11. 

Enlightened Theatrics is also collaborating with Salem-Keizer Public Schools to offer an opportunity to high school students within the district to participate free in Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Auditions take place June 28-29 with rehearsals June 30 through July 21 and performances July 22 to 25. 

And if that wasn’t enough, Enlightened Theatrics is also hosting four summer camps (elementary, middle, high and technical) that aim to keep kids engaged on the stage from August 16 to 27.

Scholarship opportunities are available for all Enlightened Theatrics’ programs if cost poses a financial hardship. Learn more about all programs and opportunities at enlightenedtheatrics.org. 

Theatre 33

Theatre 33 is offering an online Summer Playwriting Course taught by Portland playwright Rachael Carnes. Students will each write a 10-minute play utilizing the skills they learned in the course, and each play will be performed by Willamette University theater students in the fall. Students will also attend a Theatre 33 rehearsal via Zoom and audience talkback after an online performance to experience what it is like to be involved in the development process. The course, available free to Oregon high school students thanks to a grant from Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation, takes place July 1 through September 9. Contact Thomas Nabhan at tnabhan@willamette.edu for more information and/or to register.

WITH ART

Create A Memory

Create A Memory offers kids age 6 and up an opportunity for a hands-on exploration of art mediums and techniques through four camps: mixed media, July 6 to 9 and August 3 to 6; clay, July 20 to 23; and fused glass, August 17 to 20. Register in person at 270 Commercial St. NE or over the phone at 503-375-3664. Learn more at createamemory.org. 

Salem Art Association

Salem Art Association hosts “All Kinds of Art” summer camps allowing kids ages 7 through 12 to explore a new medium each day from printmaking to painting, drawing to photography with Summer Youth Program Director mixed media artist Rebekah Rigsby. All art supplies plus a snack are provided. Two sessions available July 26-30 and August 2-6. Get all the details and register to participate at salemart.org. 

Author: The Instigator