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. From pre-ballet to pre-professional, we guide dancers every step along the way. PBT School, the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, is recognized as one of the nation’s finest… Read more
  2. Poetry Out Loud encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about… Read more
  3. POWERHOUSE YOUTH ARTS PROJECT PYAP is a stipended arts program for San Francisco students aged 14-17. PYAP's goal is to cultivate youth development and career exposure through community-relevant… Read more
  4. Pratt’s teen program is specifically designed for teens (13 – 17) who want to explore art making in a professional studio environment. Students gain understanding of complex concepts, problem-… Read more
  5. Pratt PreCollege programs provide high school students with rigorous college level art, design and creative thinking courses, modeled after Pratt Institute’s undergraduate offerings. Classes are… Read more
  6. Princeton Ballet School is the Official School of the American Repertory Ballet. Summer Intensive is a program which attracts advanced students from all over the globe interested in studying with our… Read more
  7. Exposure to a dynamic industry can be a game changing experience for a student. TIP provides an opportunity for students to grow, and for businesses to build a diverse pipeline of future talent and… Read more
  8. See website for current information regarding Prospect's musical theater summer intensive program for students. This program is an opportunity for students ages 12-17 to build their performance… Read more
  9. Come to Putney this summer and do what you love to do - whether it’s something you wish you could do all the time - like filmmaking, theater, or drawing, or something you’ve never tried before and… Read more
  10. Quill and Scroll conducts two major competitions each year. Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest and Blogging Competition Currently enrolled high school students are invited to enter the… Read more
  11. Since 2014, we at RCLA have been directing the Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder/Sense of the Wild Contest and continue to regard it as a worthwhile way to honor this great American’s… Read more
  12. Founded in 1877, Rhode Island School of Design (or “RIZ-dee” for the acronym RISD) is one of the oldest and best-known colleges of art and design in the country. RISD Pre-College offers rising high… Read more
  13. Every summer, high school students from around the world come to Ringling College for an intense four-week art and design program that lets them experience a taste of college-level work and earn… Read more
  14. River of Words® (ROW) is a program of The Center for Environmental Literacy and a part of the Kalmanovitz School of Education. Acknowledged pioneers in the field of place-based education, River of… Read more
  15. Programs for Teens Explore our programs for teens, including Teen Nights; Summer Camps; the Teen Performance Company; On-Site Classes; and Free Play, our free ticketing program for teens. Our Teen… Read more
  16. Summer at Roxbury Latin means growth and skill-building, fun and excitement, making new friends and doing what you love. With more than 25 athletic, academic and artistic enrichment programs to… Read more
  17. Mason Gross School of the Arts offers exciting and innovative summer arts programs! Summer intensives in art & design, music, and dance are wonderful opportunities for students to explore, create… Read more
  18. SFCM’s Pre-College division is an immersive program that instills the value of music in young children and teens, providing an artistic framework and tailored instruction for the next generation of… Read more
  19. Summer programs provide opportunities both Pre-College and non-Pre-College students to continue their education after the academic year has ended. Applications for SFCM Pre-College Summer Programs… Read more
  20. Each year select, highly-motivated high school students explore the world of higher education in a five-week intensive program that includes university courses, advising, and meetings with key people… Read more
  21. Summer students connect their passions with the wider world and see firsthand how their endeavors improve our community. They work closely with top-notch professors, getting real-time feedback,… Read more
  22. Classes & Camps for students in grades 2 - 12 in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM), and the Arts. Internships in Science & Engineering and College Prep classes for high school… Read more
  23. SCAD Summer Seminars SCAD Summer Seminars offer workshops for high school students who have completed their freshman, sophomore or junior years. (Secondary school students ages 14-19 are able to… Read more
  24. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Through the Scholastic Awards, teens in grades 7–… Read more
  25. With summer camps ranging in length from one to six weeks, and campuses in New York, California and Vermont there's no excuse for not taking action. Since it was founded in 2001, SOCAPA, the School… Read more
  26. The Pre-College Summer Intensive in Studio Art develops young artists’ foundational skills and exposes them to new technologies and conceptual frameworks for approaching art with a focus on portfolio… Read more
  27. Art lessons for kids at SVA: Foundations learning. Drawing and painting. Explore a wide variety of materials. For kids from Kindergarten through 9th grade. As part of its mission to meet the diverse… Read more
  28. SVA's Pre-College Program is designed for high school students who want to enhance their creative skills, learn more about a particular field of art, develop a portfolio and experience the challenges… Read more
  29. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. STEAM Camp is a week of scientific investigations, games, crafty projects, and fun! Past sessions have included: Garden Art, Water… Read more
  30. The Sewanee Academy Programs are short residential programs for middle and high school musicians that run concurrently with the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. Program selections vary. See website… Read more
  31. One of the nation’s premier orchestra and chamber music training festivals Festival participants will be fully immersed in the musical experience. Students will participate in daily orchestra… Read more
  32. Are you a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader who is passionate about creative writing? Do you write poems or stories, in class or out, but wonder how good they are, and how you could make them better? Your… Read more
  33. For over 30 years, the Skidmore Jazz Institute has been providing the opportunity for intermediate and advanced young musicians to learn in an intimate and supportive environment. Director Mark… Read more
  34. Designed by Smith's professors and staff, these residential programs not only give students an inspiring learning experience, they can also request a recommendation from Smith faculty to use in your… Read more
  35. Teen Council is a group of 12 creative and dedicated high school students who help make our museums more welcoming and engaging for young people. The Teen Council plans and hosts events that invite D… Read more
  36. Teen Museum Council is an intensive year-long program for D.C. Metro area teens who would like a role making teen programs at the Portrait Gallery! Throughout the academic year, TMC members work on… Read more
  37. With world-class scientists, professionals, and facilities, the Smithsonian serves as the top target for students and professionals seeking training and experience in a variety of disciplines from… Read more
  38. The Smithsonian Latino Center’s Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a national program for graduating high school seniors, fostering the next generation of Latino leaders in the arts, sciences, and… Read more
  39. Sotheby’s Summer Institute for pre-college students  invites high schoolers who are curious and passionate about art to immerse themselves in one of the most vibrant art capitals in the world: New… Read more
  40. Splash! is a yearly academic outreach program by many universities that invites high school students to attend classes created and taught by students, alumni, and local community members. Splash was… Read more
  41. Stanford Jazz Camp immerses participants in a fun, focused, and supportive environment. The program offers instrumentalists and vocalists an opportunity play with motivated peers and study with a… Read more
  42. Each one of our unique programs gives you unprecedented exposure to a cutting-edge field of study and the inspiration and confidence to pursue it later if you choose. All of our programs are… Read more
  43. With 33 years of experience, SIG designs a multi-week program that combines challenging academics with social, cultural, and recreational opportunities to nurture students’ social skills, as well as… Read more
  44. The Summer Music Camps @ UO are dedicated to the developing high school musician. Come join us in Eugene, OR for the opportunity to work with University of Oregon School of Music & Dance faculty… Read more
  45. Summer day and residential opportunities for outstanding elementary, middle, and high school students to explore the academic environment at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Summer@Rensselaer… Read more
  46. During Stanford University’s Summer Quarter, high school students from the United States and around the globe are invited to spend eight or nine weeks living and learning in the heart of Silicon… Read more
  47. The Young Artists and Writers Project (formerly the Young American Writers Project) is dedicated to mentoring middle and high school students in the development of creative expression and critical… Read more
  48. Welcome to The Apprentice Writer, which annually features the best writing and illustrations from entries we receive each year from secondary schools throughout the United States. Susquehanna… Read more
  49. If you’re a talented writer entering 11th or 12th grade in fall 2018, join us for our Summer Writers Workshop. You’ll be immersed in intensive, small-group workshops in fiction, creative nonfiction,… Read more
  50. For over 50 years, Syracuse University Summer College has been giving high school students the opportunity to learn about potential careers and college majors through its renowned pre-college program… Read more