Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide
If your child loves singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, composing music or painting and designing, she will find a plethora of outstanding fun and instructional programs where she can develop her talents and meet people who love what she does. Check out extracurricular arts activities, including performance opportunities, at your child’s school or at local community centers. Specialized private weekend classes and summer programs for students of all levels are sponsored by various art institutes, music festivals, universities and professional music and dance companies.
To perform at the highest levels, many arts, especially music and dance, require private lessons and enrichment. If your child likes to perform, look for audition opportunities at local fairs, festivals, community orchestras and theaters. Many professional theaters and ballet companies sponsor summer intensive programs from talented youth. A child who enjoys competing may be interested in participating in arts contests where her work can earn recognition and win awards. The best students compete, at national arts contests that offer scholarship prizes.
- Act out and dream big! At our Tony Award–winning conservatory, students ages 8 to 19 develop their talents, perform in professional-caliber productions, and gain the confidence to succeed—all in a… Read more
- The Ailey School is the official school of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and offers world-class dance training to students ages 2-25 in the heart of New York City's theater district. The school… Read more
- Each year, the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) Poster Contest provides an opportunity for students to creatively express ideas and understandings of language and… Read more
- Through on-site arts education programs, outreach to schools and community-based partnerships, Appel Farm provides people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive, cooperative… Read more
- The ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards (the “Award”) honors the late Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and The ASCAP Foundation’s former president Morton Gould’s lifelong commitment to… Read more
- Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, a summer school of the arts located on a 1,600 acre campus in Michigan’s Manistee National Forest, offers fine arts education for all ages. Each summer, the principal camp… Read more
- The BMI Student Composer Awards is an annual competition open to young composers engaged in the study of classical music. Our oldest awards program in any genre, the competition has a prestigious… Read more
- 52 years and 10,000 alumni strong, we’re a leader in the field. We’re a program of Boston University College of Fine Arts and affiliated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Music Center… Read more
- BCAP Summer Camp is an award-winning day camp for kids ages 7-12. During our two-week summer program, Adventurers visit two institutions on our Cultural Campus each day, where they explore our annual… Read more
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture summer camps. For an experience your kids won’t forget, check out the Burke’s exciting camps held each year during mid-winter, spring and summer breaks.… Read more
- A wide variety of summer academic and sports camps for kids preK through 12th grade. Topics include science, the fine arts, reading and engineering. Check the website for the current year offerings.
- The mission of CMT San Jose is to train and educate today’s youth through musical theater to set and achieve high artistic and personal goals, and to inspire them to become exemplary artists, patrons… Read more
- The Choate Young Artists Programs in Performing and Visual Arts seek to develop an appreciation for live theater and visual arts in all of our young artists. These are non-residential day camps and… Read more
- CIM offers lessons, classes and ensembles and music (both instrumental and voice) summer programs. In addition, for more serious young musicians: Young Artist Program: The Young Artist Program… Read more
- Summer Intensive Program Under the direction of Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, the Colorado Ballet Academy offers a Summer Intensive designed for dancers from the intermediate through pre-… Read more
- To develop opportunities that inspire the global community of learners to utilize diverse approaches in applying 21st century skills and creativity. The Destination Imagination program is a fun,… Read more
- The Digital Arts Festivals recognize the achievements of Club members through local, regional or national festivals building confidence and motivating participants to explore new avenues for artistic… Read more
- It’s our mission to foster a learning community of diversity and excellence through memorable and innovative educational experiences led by the highest-quality instructors; building skills and… Read more
- The summer months in the School of Music are full of week-long camps, multiple-day workshops, seminars, and other special events for all ages, including: Summer Chamber Music Institute Violin, viola… Read more
- ECU hosts numerous programs and camps for youth both on and off campus. Here are a few camps being offered during past summers: Coastal Studies Summer Camps Campus Recreation and Wellness STEAM… Read more
- EXPLO summer programs allows students to investigate subjects they’re not likely to encounter during the school year. Our courses aren’t for credit and are ungraded. They encourage students to step… Read more
- Programs offer a space to build, create, think, design, explore, and play! Offered to all ages and interests in the arts, athletics, language, science & technology, sports and outdoor adventure… Read more
- Since its founding in 1955, the Houston Ballet Academy has provided the highest quality ballet training to aspiring dancers. During the summer students will obtain training that will enrich and… Read more
- In a beautiful natural setting reminiscent of a traditional summer camp, the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program provides high caliber arts instruction and memorable arts immersion workshops to a diverse… Read more
- ICS maintains a listing of hundreds of academic competitions in order for students to get ranked in their ICS Global Academic Champions Ranking. Since 2012, ICS has been defining best-practices in… Read more
- As the Midwest Torrance Center, we subscribe to creativity as the “highest form of mental functioning.” This framework was initiated and developed by E. Paul Torrance, known as the father of… Read more
- JMU hosts a wide variety of youth programs including day-long coding programs, dual enrollment programs, courses in physics, robotics, and may more. See the website for the full array of youth camps… Read more
- College for Kids is an enrichment program for children in grades 1-8. Children will work with James Madison University faculty and graduate students, as well as experts from the community and… Read more
- The Joffrey Ballet School is the only ballet school in New York City that offers a well-rounded dance curriculum that includes serious training in both classical ballet (technique, pointe, variations… Read more
- With approximately 2,000 students passing through its doors every week, the Peabody Preparatory is Baltimore’s premier community school for the performing arts. It is open to students of all ages and… Read more
- The Pre-College Division offers a comprehensive conservatory-style music program for students 8 - 18 years old who exhibit the talent, potential and ambition to pursue serious music study at the… Read more
- The Continuing Studies Department at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) offers non-credit classes for youth. Classes include: drawing, painting, photography, digital… Read more
- Liberty University Theatre Camps (LUTC) program, which includes elementary, KIDS Ignite, and middle school day camps, will start off the summer. These day camps provide local students with an… Read more
- MSM’s Precollege program gives talented students professional instruction and multiple performing opportunities in a supportive environment — and collaborative time spent with like-minded peers, many… Read more
- Mannes Prep combines a warm and supportive atmosphere with thorough pre-professional training. Our continuing personal interest in the musical growth of each student is central to the spirit of… Read more
- MICA provides a wide range of programs for the youngest artists to grow their skills and make the most of their interests. Artistic exploration is among the best ways for kids to build confidence in… Read more
- Students who play an instrument or sing in an ensemble learn discipline, focus, hard work, teamwork, and valuable life skills through the pursuit of musical excellence. Furthermore, students who… Read more
- The annual competition is designed to provide an educational as well as a competitive experience for young chamber ensembles. The competition is open to chamber ensembles in 12th grade and younger… Read more
- MYAC is a full-curriculum pre-college music school. At MYAC students from kindergarten through 12th grade gain an unparalleled music experience at MYAC and are exposed to orchestral, choral, and… Read more
- Competition Eligibility: There are 2 Divisions: Midwest Young Artists Conservatory (MYAC) Orchestra Division* Open Division *Students in the MYAC Division must be active participants in the MYAC… Read more
- Continuing Education at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design offers top-notch, relevant, and engaging art and design programming for kids, teens, and adults taught by professional working… Read more
- The MTNA National Student Competitions are the most successful and prestigious student competitions in the country Each year, thousands of students compete for top prizes and national recognition.… Read more
- Musical Theatre Works (MTW) is celebrating 20 years of offering professional Broadway show experiences for young actors in San Francisco. Students come to MTW to sing, dance and act on stage, under… Read more
- National Association for Music Education (NAfME), among the world’s largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the… Read more
- Since its founding in 1898, the NFMC has grown into one of the world’s largest music organizations with club and individual members of all ages. The NFMC is chartered by the Congress of the United… Read more
- Now in its fifty-third instalment, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition provides a showcase for the world’s very best nature photography. The competition is owned by the world-renowned… Read more
- For 50 years, National PTA’s Reflections program has helped students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that… Read more
- Our summer and year round camps are like no other in the world. Whether you enroll in our Filmmaking, Acting for Film, Screenwriting, Broadcast Journalism, Photography, Musical Theatre, Game Design,… Read more
- Talent Search Assessment - A research-validated program, Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) utilizes above-grade-level testing to identify academic ability, measure… Read more
- The Office of Precollege Programs supports and oversees a wide range of youth outreach activities designed to increase college access and academic preparation for Oregon’s youth. Academic programs… Read more