Art Explorers! Summer Camps
Art Explorers!
Summer Camps at Riverside Arts Center
Registration Now Open!
Riverside’s Summer camp for young creatives Returns in 2026!
Mark Your Calendars!
Seven Weeks of Camp in 2026: June 22nd – August 7th.
Scholarship Applications Open: January 1st on this webpage.
Camp Themes Announced: January 15th
Camp Registration Opens: February 2nd on this webpage.
Art Explorers! Summer Camp at Riverside Arts Center 2026:
The Fundementals of Art!
Art Explorers Summer Camp at Riverside Arts Center offers a full summer of hands-on creative discovery for young artists. Each week introduces campers to new artistic disciplines, techniques, and materials while encouraging experimentation, collaboration, and self-expression.
Campers rotate through drawing, painting, sculpture, fiber arts, mixed media, and design-based projects in a supportive, non-competitive environment. Whether creating wearable art, building sculptures, experimenting with visual illusions, or working on large collaborative pieces, campers are encouraged to explore boldly and develop confidence in their creative process.
This camp is designed for kids who love making art and want to spend the majority of their day creating. If your child enjoys working with their hands, trying new materials, and expressing ideas visually, they’ll feel right at home at Riverside Arts Center.
Registration Details
Ages: 6–13 (expanded from 2025!)
Dates: June 22 – August 7, seven weeks!
Monday–Friday (Week of June 29 is a 4-day session)
Hours: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (expanded from 2025!)
Fees:
Good news! Camp costs will remain the same this year!
- $285/week — Ypsilanti residents
- $300/week — Non-Ypsilanti residents
- $100 deposit due at registration
- Camp fee can be paid all at once or in installments with $100 due at registration.
Included:
- Lunch and two daily snacks
- All art materials and supplies
- Tons of creative fun!
Weekly Themes
Week 1 (June 22–26): Art in Bloom: Flowers, Bugs & Garden Creatures
Explore the natural world through art! Campers will create vibrant botanical drawings, sculpt insects and garden creatures, and experiment with nature-inspired textures and patterns.
Week 2 (June 29–July 2 — 4 days): Art You Can Wear: Make It, Wear It, Show It (Fashion!)
Design meets self-expression! Campers will create wearable art, customize accessories, experiment with fabric techniques, and finish the week with a mini fashion showcase of their original designs.
Week 3 (July 6–10): Trick the Eye: Optical Illusions & Visual Magic
Learn how artists play with perception! Campers will experiment with perspective, patterns, and visual tricks to create artworks that bend the eye and challenge reality.
Week 4 (July 13–17): Messy Masterpieces: Wild Color & Big Experiments
Big art, bold materials, and fearless creativity. Campers will explore action painting, mixed media, large-scale projects, and experimental techniques that embrace process and discovery.
Week 5 (July 20–24): Build It Big: Sculpting & 3D Art
Step into three dimensions! Campers will design and construct sculptures using cardboard, clay, recycled materials, and structural techniques to bring ideas off the page and into space.
Week 6 (July 27–31): Light & Dark: Glow, Shadow & Dramatic Art
Explore contrast, mood, and illumination. Campers will work with shadow, dramatic lighting effects, glow elements, and high-contrast techniques to create visually striking artwork.
Week 7 (August 3–7): Camp Favorites: The Best Stuff We Make
A greatest-hits week of creative fun! Campers will revisit favorite techniques, remix popular projects, and combine multiple art forms into exciting end-of-summer creations.
Sign up for our mailing list, follow us on social media @rac.ypsi, and bookmark this page to stay updated on all things Art Explorers! Summer Camps!
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your child’s camp registration, the following refund schedule applies:
- 30 or more days before the start of camp:
- Full refund minus a $10 processing fee
- 7 to 29 days before the start of camp:
- 50% refund minus a $10 processing fee
- 6 or fewer days before the start of camp:
- No refund available
Meet your Camp Director – Ms. Rachel!
Riverside is excited to announce that we have selected Rachel Anderson as our new Camp Director for our “Art Explorers! Summer Camps.” We recently interviewed Rachel to get to know her a bit more and this is what she had to say.
RAC: Please introduce yourself!
Rachel: “Hi! My name is Rachel Anderson. I am a sixth-year teacher at Ypsilanti International Elementary School. I am currently teaching kindergarten and loving it, but I have experience teaching K-5. When I’m not teaching I can usually be found creating- painting, sewing, making shirts, crocheting, and more. I’ve recently been exploring printmaking! I love a chill night in with my cat (Pickles) or traveling to new places with my family and friends. I am a new(ish) homeowner and enjoy doing home projects, taking bounce classes at the Mix Studios, and enjoying the sunshine at Rutherford Pool! I am looking forward to an amazing summer with your young artists!”
RAC: What excites you the most about being the “Art Explorers! Summer Camps” Camp Director?
Rachel: “I am so excited to be “Art Explorers! Summer Camps” Camp Director for the chance to connect with my community in a new way and help foster love and skills for creation and expression. I am most looking forward to seeing all the amazing ideas and creations these young artists come up with throughout the summer. “
RAC: Why are you passionate about teaching?
Rachel: “One of my core values as an educator is to create safe spaces for children where they can feel comfortable being themselves, learn how to use their voice, and more importantly understand that their voice has power- whether it’s sharing ideas, advocating for themselves and others, or anything else. I am enthusiastic about making sure students are able to communicate in many different ways and that they understand communication looks different for everyone. I am grateful for this chance as Camp Director to help these young artists explore new ways to communicate their emotions, ideas, and values.”
RAC: And lastly, what’s something new or exciting campers can look forward to this summer?
Rachel: “Me! (just kidding…kind of) But seriously, campers can look forward to a summer full of opportunities to learn, explore, create, and have fun! We are excited to meet and learn more about our campers and can’t wait to see the unique twists and perspectives they bring to the fun we already have planned!”
TESTIMONIALS
“Our girls had the best time at the Riverside Arts Center Summer Camp. The stain glass project was a favorite, and they made new friends who they continue to see regularly. The camp is well organized and easy for parents. We love RAC’S camp!”
“My full throttle, super energetic boys really loved their first week at camp last week and were totally looking forward to their return today for their second week of camp. Thank you! Y’all understood that the boys have unquenchable curiosity and you endured their many questions and expectations. Perhaps best of all, they now LOVE rocks and can recite a lecture worth of information to all of us about the differences from one type of mineral to another and how rocks are made and on and on. We went for a 2 mile hike together looking at nature and rocks this weekend because of the RAC camp and it was one of the best days of my whole motherhood. Thank you for this ultimate gift. You’re rockin’ it!”
“I want to thank you for a wonderful week of camp!! My son loved it! He didn’t want it to end. I will be looking Into FLY at YIES for the upcoming school year. He said the favorite part of camp was going to Rock Island and getting rocks and building the fort. You guys included everything he needed. Art, science, educational, exercise and fun. All of these things make his week memorable.Thank you again for the scholarship so he could be a part of this week at camp! We will be watching for camp info next summer!”
