National Arts & Humanities Month: Getting Creative at Camp
At Fresh Air Fund camps youth explore a range of art mediums, encouraging creativity and introducing them to activities they’ve never tried before. This summer, campers painted, learned about architecture, created hand puppets, designed clothes, played guitar, tie-dyed shirts and so much more!
To celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month, let’s look at some of the inspiring creative moments that happened this summer. We are so proud of our campers for letting their imaginations soar!
Painting, Puppets and Guitar!
Sophia, 11, was excited to try different types of arts and crafts. “My favorite activity is art because we got to make puppets and friendship bracelets, and it was really fun.”
“In New York City, you can go to stores, and you have technology, but when you’re at The Fresh Air Fund, you connect to nature and get to know yourself better,” Sophia continued.
Campers were also introduced to the musical arts and learned how to play the guitar through a partnership with the ASCAP Foundation.
Alani, 9, already knew how to play the piano, so she was excited for the opportunity to learn a brand-new instrument. “Summer camp is fun! I like guitar lessons. I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar because I can already play the piano,” she said.
At Camp Junior, campers developed different designs and patterns to paint on benches. For Naveah, 15, it was an opportunity for self-expression. “We chose Hello Kitty as our main design because it’s simple, it’s pink and it matches. I love our art class because we get to express our creativity using different colors and shapes,” she said.
Art classes allowed campers to explore their interests and discover new talents.
“My favorite activity is arts and crafts because I am an artist!” said Jada, 14. “It really helps my creativity.”
Photography and Fashion Design
“I held a camera and took photos for the first time at Hayden-Marks,” said Zakai, 10. “We used legos and stop motion photography to tell a story. It was pretty fun!”
“It’s so fun to be here and it’s a good opportunity to get out of your comfort zone, try new things and meet new people.”
At Camp Mariah, Nara, 13, enjoyed fashion class, where she learned how to design and construct clothing and use a sewing machine. “I was really excited to be in fashion class this year. I like being able to know that I can create something,” she said. “Last year, I created my own dress!”
Expanded access to arts education has a positive impact on both our campers and their communities. From dance and music to drama and visual arts, we are proud to provide spaces and opportunities for campers to explore their creativity and express themselves.
