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.



  1. The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago is a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted pre-college pianists and string players. The Academy provides a comprehensive musical… Read more
  2. The Early College Program at AIC offers art and design classes for high school students. ECP students receive college-level instruction from SAIC's professionally practicing faculty and access to… Read more
  3. Why Early College Program Summer Institute (ECPSI)? Study with our amazing faculty, passionate teachers and acclaimed practicing artists, designers, and scholars, many of whom teach in the… Read more
  4. This two-week residential program is designed to introduce high school students to the profession of architecture. Students will tour the city of Chicago, complete a series of design projects, and… Read more
  5. ITT offers a wide variety of summer programs and camps for middle and high school students. Programs can include: biology, computational science, digital humanities, coding, biomedical engineering,… Read more
  6. MYAC is a full-curriculum pre-college music school. Summer programs are offered in a variety of areas which may include: orchestra, vocals, jazz ensemble, flute and chamber music. See website for… Read more
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. Since 1931, the National High School Institute, a nonprofit organization, has brought outstanding students to Northwestern University’s Evanston campus for intense educational experiences. Students… Read more
  12. NIU offers summer and academic year camps, workshops and clinics for high school students. NIU's five residential camps are offered in the fields of theatre, jazz, percussion, and visual art.… Read more
  13. College Prep: Experience college life at Northwestern University this summer in the College Prep Program. High school sophomores and juniors can take undergraduate courses for college credit, or… Read more
  14. 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
  15. Discover the awesome course opportunities for high school students this summer at the University of Chicago. Within a supportive campus community, students from all over the globe are exposed to… Read more
  16. Writopia Lab is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in New York City in April of 2007. Writopia runs creative writing workshops for kids ages 6 to 18. All of the workshops have a maximum of… Read more