YIA Launches Inclusive Summer Camp
Author: Cathy Bowman
Youth in Arts is thrilled to be piloting a summer camp program for children with disabilities! We are offering two sessions: Performing Arts (music and creative movement) this week and Visual Arts next week.
“We’re thrilled to continue Youth in Arts’ long-standing commitment to inclusive arts education through our first inclusive summer camp,” said Executive Director Taylor Buttrey. “Providing a creative space where children of all abilities can explore, express, and connect through the arts is central to our mission. We’re thankful for the opportunity to provide this vital resource for the community.”
The Performing Arts Camp is starting with two days of creative movement with Teaching Artist KaNi Kido. KaNi said campers will use their imaginations to create stories through music and movement and use scarves and other props. Warm ups will include the Brain Dance, a series of movements created by Anne Green Gilbert that support neuroplasticity and adaptive cognition.
Teaching Artist Liam Robertson will teach three days of music. Campers will explore rhythm and more by playing egg shakers, drums, bells and other instruments. They will learn how to pluck, press and squeeze ukuleles to make sounds.
At the Visual Arts Camp, campers can get messy – but only if they want to. Projects include painting, print making and building sculptures. Everything is designed to create sensory rich experiences (campers will use clay as part of their warm up activities during both weeks.)
Cathy Bowman, coordinator of Youth in Arts’ Arts Unite Us program, will be teaching alongside Teaching Artist Talia Fleischman. Rounding out the team for both weeks is intern Sarabella Muise, who is studying Art Therapy.
Cathy said for parents of children with disabilities, it’s not as simple as just filling out a form.
What if the bathrooms aren’t wheelchair accessible? What if the camp is loud and your child needs a quiet space? What if there aren’t easy to grip paintbrushes and other tools?
“Summer can be a challenging time for keeping children engaged,” Cathy said. “All kids deserve a camp that is fun, safe and designed to meet their needs.”
Limited spaces are available for both camp weeks. For more information contact Taylor Buttrey at taylor@youthinarts.org or Cathy Bowman at cathy@youthinarts.org.
