Prairie Arts Center announces 2024 youth summer art camps
Friday, May 3, 2024
Media Contact: Meghan Brasuell | Prairie Arts Center General Manager | 405-744-1535 | meghan.brasuell@oksate.edu
The Prairie Arts Center has announced its 2024 schedule of summer art camps tailored for students aged 6-14, with each camp offering a distinctive experience for budding artists.
"This year’s theme is ‘Art Below the Equator,’” said Jen Johnson, arts education coordinator for Prairie Arts Center. “As always, we will learn a lot, play, explore and expand our understanding of art and the world around us.”
The initial camp, “Theater Below the Equator,” is a two-week program centered on theater and storytelling. Under the guidance of David Weber, Oklahoma State University assistant professor of theatre, students will learn about improvisation, puppetry and the art of building imaginative worlds on stage.
"We are going to play games and create a theatrical experience from fables that come from below the equator,” Weber said. “As the students exercise their creativity, practicing how to perform in front of others, they will make new friends and find inventive ways to express themselves all while they create stories together.”
“Theater Below the Equator” is scheduled for May 20-24 and May 28-31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a concluding performance at 6 p.m. on May 31. Both the camp and the final performance will take place at 121 Seretean Center for the Performing Arts on OSU’s Stillwater campus.
“Art Below the Equator” — which spans six weeks at the Prairie Arts Center — caters to two age groups: 6- to 10-year-olds and 11- to 14-year-olds. Each week, students will delve into a distinct region in the southern hemisphere, drawing inspiration to craft both 2D and 3D art pieces.
Operating from Tuesday to Friday, “Art Below the Equator” camps will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The final two weeks are designated for 6- to 10-year-olds exclusively, allowing the older group to participate in “Discover the Art of Pottery” camp.
“Some of our favorite things about camp include having all that space and time to make amazing projects with the campers, watching new friendships form and witnessing the astonishment of family and friends and the pride of our young artists at the Friday gallery shows,” Johnson said.
“Discover the Art of Pottery” camp will be the final camp of the summer and is designed for 11- to 14-year-olds wanting to focus on pottery. Students will learn hand forming techniques, wheel throwing and glazing. The classes will run July 9-12 and July 16-19, Tuesday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m.
For more information and to register for camps, visit the Prairie Arts Center website.
The Prairie Arts Center is a community art center operated as a partnership between OSU and the City of Stillwater. The center offers art classes and workshops for all ages, as well as art exhibits and events throughout the year.