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Best Art Summer Camps near NYC: Performing Art Camps, Theater Camps, Sleepaway Art Camps

Get creative this summer at Creatively Wild Arts Studio. Photo courtesy of the studio
Get creative this summer at Creatively Wild Arts Studio. Photo courtesy of the studio
4/13/23 - By Drew Kristofik

New York City is the epicenter for the arts, so of course, it's home to a diverse and amazing selection of art summer camps. With many world-class professional artists teaching here, NYC offers a huge selection of art summer camps ranging from visual art camps to performing art camps and filmmaking summer camps. From Brooklyn to Midtown to the Bronx and beyond, you can find the perfect art summer camp from our list below for your budding artist.

For more summer camps in New York City, including free and cheap summer camps for NYC Kids and popular preschool camps in NYC, be sure to bookmark our NYC Summer Camp Guide and our Camp Directory where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and neighborhood.

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Piper Theatre's summer program stages outdoor productions at the Old Stone House. Photo courtesy of the program
Piper Theatre's summer program stages outdoor productions at the Old Stone House. Photo courtesy of the program

Dance and Performing Arts Summer Camps for NYC Kids

New York Theatre Ballet School

East Village
Ages 5-7 and 8-13
New York Theatre Ballet School is the official training academy of NYTB, offering classes and camps for ages 4 and up. Since 1978, the NYTB School has developed its young dancers by following the Cecchetti syllabus, a method that emphasizes musicality, theatricality, gesture, and style. The summer session features pre-ballet for ages 5-7 (no audition required) as well as a higher level summer intensive for ages 8-13. READ MORE

Harlem School of the Arts - Harlem Summer Arts Experience

Harlem
Ages 4-12
Founded in 1964 by internationally acclaimed African American soprano Dorothy Maynor, Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) offers instruction in music, dance, theater, musical theater, and media and design to children ages 2-18. The summer arts camp program is open to kids ages 4-12, giving kids the opportunity to sing, dance, act, and design, all while immersing themselves in the creative history of Harlem with guest artists, special trips, and opportunities to present their work each session. READ MORE

TADA! Youth Theater

Flatiron
Ages 7-10
At this well-known performing arts program, seasoned theater pros teach kids the core elements of musical theater, including singing, dancing, and acting their way through popular Broadway hits and TADA's original productions. School break camps, summer camps, and classes are also available.  READ MORE

CinemaKidz

Lower Manhattan, Downtown Brooklyn, and Park Slope
Ages 5-15
Kids ages 5-15 learn the fundamentals of storytelling, cinematography, editing, costume design, and other media arts in a hands-on creative environment. Choose from four camp locations with safety protocols in place, including one outdoor-only option in Prospect Park. READ MORE

BOLD Arts

Multiple Locations
Ages 6-10
BOLD Arts offers week-long summer camps. A different, thought-provoking theme centers each week's activities, including dance, music, and art projects. Every session ends with a child-centered performance where kids are the stars and the costumes, scenery, and performances are their own creations. READ MORE

Piper Theatre Summer Programs

Park Slope, Brooklyn
Ages 7-17
Piper Theatre Productions offers a variety of performing arts summer camps. Young "Starlings" can enjoy 1-2 week programs, while the most dedicated actors ages 15-17 can enroll in four-week intensives. No matter your child's age, an end-of-camp performance shares what they learned.  READ MORE

Atlantic Acting School - Summer Camps

Chelsea
Ages 4-18
Atlantic Acting School's excellent performing arts programs return to in-person programming this summer. Children ages 4-15 can participate in a performing arts camp, while older kids ages 15-18 can hone their skills in the Teen Ensemble. READ MORE

Riverdale Children's Theatre Summer Lights

Riverdale, the Bronx
Ages 7-14
At Riverdale's Summer Lights program, kids explore the magic of theater and participate in a fully staged production with professional production values. Campers receive training in acting, theater, and dance. Every child receives personalized, one-on-one, voice lessons. When they're not on stage, kids can enjoy traditional summer camp fun, and a field trip to a Broadway play is part of this summer-long program. READ MORE

A Class Act NY - Camps

Midtown West
Ages 8-19
A Class Act offers in-studio musical theatre, on-camera, voice-over, and dramatic arts programs taught by amazing Broadway veterans, Los Angeles casting directors, and television and film directors. READ MORE

Child's Play NY

Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, and Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Ages 3-11
Child’s Play NY teaches kids sophisticated theater techniques and encourages them to build their bravery and talents. An award-winning drama program, it's led by vibrant teaching artists using a games-based curriculum that inspires collaboration and joy. Weekly themes tap into what kids love most with focuses like superheroes, mythology, Harry Potter, musicals, and more. READ MORE
Draw + paint with Creatively Wild Art Studio's Summer Camp. Photo courtesy of the school
Draw + paint with Creatively Wild Art Studio's Summer Camp. Photo courtesy of the school

Visual Art Summer Camps for New York City Kids

Fashion Squad School

Tribeca
Ages 5-12
Fashion Squad offers unique classes and camps that not only introduce the basics of sewing but mimic the real-life experience of fashion design. From a sketch to the final runway show, young fashionistas and fashionistos bring their wildest ideas to life. General art classes are also offered and include instruction in painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, and more. Options include after-school classes with pick-up, birthday parties, summer and school break camps, and weekend drop-in classes. READ MORE

Creatively WILD Art Studio

Dumbo, Brooklyn
Ages 4-8
Creatively Wild Art Studio strives to provide an inspiring, artistic class experience to nurture and enrich kids' and adults' creative minds. Classes are offered for all ages and abilities in a gorgeous, light-filled, airy studio. Budding artists work with authentic professional art materials, dabble in techniques like color mixing, texture, and brushwork, and learn fun paint applications as well as explore non-traditional fun media like recycled object + 3D Art! The studio also hosts birthday parties, camps, and virtual classes.  READ MORE

Brooklyn Museum Summer Camp

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Ages 8-13
The Brooklyn Museum offers campers a chance to experience a variety of mediums, including photography, sculpture, mixed media, drawing, painting, animation, and more. Kids explore the museum's collection, try out new techniques, and share their creations during Open Studio time on Fridays. READ MORE

Center for Architecture Summer Camps

Ages 7-17
The Center for Architecture's summer camps cater to kids entering grades 3-12 and get them dreaming about the possibilities of design, form, and building. Past week-long programs have included building bridges, theater design, store design, fairytale architecture, and more. READ MORE

Claire's Creative Adventures

Upper East Side
Ages 3 1/2-15
Campers at Claire's Creative Adventures can choose from a variety of part-time programs. Get creative in the hands-on Art Adventures camps, which introduce kids to a variety of mediums and techniques from the traditional to more modern endeavors. In its Art & Museum Adventures program, campers combine a creative project with an in-depth look at an artist's work through museum and gallery visits.  READ MORE

Barking Cat Studio

Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
Ages 8-13
Barking Cat Studio is a neighborhood art hub that encourages creativity, discovery, and independent thinking. It’s the perfect environment for nurturing and encouraging young artists by creating fun, inspiring projects using a variety of materials and mediums. READ MORE

The Painted Cloud - Camp

Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Ages 4-10
The Painted Cloud offers in-person sessions on a weekly basis that include community-minded art projects, drawing, and outdoor play with sprinklers. Campers are divided into two groups depending on age. READ MORE

The Art Farm NYC Camps

Upper East Side
Ages 2-11
The folks behind this innovative, animal-focused play space offers full- and half-day camps for kids as young as 3 split between two Trevor Day School locations. Campers participate in art-making, animal care, gardening, and more. Full-day campers take swimming lessons at the 92nd Street Y. READ MORE
French Woods campers perform the final moment of The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time. Photo courtesy of the camp
French Woods campers perform the final moment of The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time. Photo courtesy of the camp

Sleepaway Arts Summer Camps for New York City Kids

Performing Arts Camp at French Woods

Hancock, New York
Ages 7-17
Internationally recognized as a premier program in the performing arts, French Woods features options in music, art, theater, dance, circus, magic, and horseback riding. In addition to core activities, traditional summer camp programs are also offered. READ MORE

Interlochen

Interlochen, Michigan
Ages 8-18
Interlochen's exceptional summer programs run the gamut from creative writing to musical theater, dance, film, and visual arts. In addition to top-of-the-line instruction in the arts, Interlochen campers enjoy traditional summer camp fun on the 120-acre, lakefront campus.  READ MORE

Long Lake Camp for the Arts

Dobbs Ferry, New York
Ages 8-16
Long Lake offers three- or six-week overnight sessions for girls and boys from all around the world. Kids can create their own schedule, with offerings that include circus, theatre, music, dance, magic, and more. READ MORE

Camp Ballibay

Wyalusing, Pennsylvania
Ages 8-16
Camp Ballibay offers deep, engaging programs for young artists at all levels in a traditional summer arts camp setting. The 174-acre campus boasts outstanding facilities for theater, fine art, dance, and rock music. READ MORE

Maine Arts Camp

Waterville, Maine
Ages 9-17
Located on the campus of Thomas College, Maine Arts Camp limits its enrollment to just 90 campers per session. Kids can choose to attend for two- and four-week sessions and take classes like still life painting, metal jewelry, fiction writing, musical theater, tennis, and fusion cuisine. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Barking Cat Studio Arts & Crafts for Everyone • Windsor Terrace

About the Author

Drew Kristofik

Drew Kristofik's early career editing teen magazines somehow morphed into a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a very long sojourn at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick online and then Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com local. She was a founding member of the WebbyAward winning GoCityKids, has written for Family Fun Magazine, Vanity Fair, and New York, and her novel for middle schoolers, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. She strives to keep the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar packed and accurate, and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
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