COCA Summer Arts Camps Set the Stage for Fun and Learning

For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, summer camp arts and crafts projects were limited to beaded keychains, and for the lucky few, maybe a macrame plant holder. Never could we have imagined designing a couture fashion line, producing stop-motion films, or building our own robots.

But for kids attending COCA Summer Arts Camps, these incredible hands-on activities are just a few of the hundreds of full- and half-day camp options waiting to be discovered. Starting in May, COCA opens its doors to a diverse range of programming that gives campers the freedom to let their inner artists, writers, and performers run wild.

“At COCA Summer Camps, we try to benefit the whole student, not just their creative side,” said Alisa Cooper, Summer Camp Program Manager. “We want campers to explore all the opportunities in visual and performing arts and encourage them to be open-minded so they can see anything is possible in a creative space.”

Igniting creativity and joy in every child

What makes COCA Summer Arts Camps so unique is its multidisciplinary approach to learning. Many of its sessions are taught by multiple teaching artists so kids can discover how different elements of art can be combined to create a more inclusive and immersive experience. For instance, during COCA’s Broadway Big Top camp, kids not only explore songs from circus-themed musicals, but learn both choreography and circus skills, such as plate-spinning and juggling, for a stage-worthy performance.

In addition, COCA has expanded its writing camp lineup for 2025 to showcase what the written word looks like through different lenses. During its book creation camps, kids can work alongside professional authors and illustrators to develop their own comics, cartoons, and short stories, and learn the basics of binding their final library-ready product. Other writing-themed camps include The Art of Calligraphy, Spoken Word Slam, and the journalism-focused COCA Dispatch.

“With all of our camps, we want to give kids power in the classroom,” Cooper shared. “Our teachers will give our campers prompts and tips, but kids are really free to run with their ideas and create something they’re excited about.”

For young artists-in-the-making, COCA also offers camps for children as young as three that focus on both the arts and their emotional development. Themed-camps that feature their favorite characters, from Lilo and Stitch to Mulan and Merida, capture their imaginations as they draw, paint, dance, and create.

More options for campers and their families

COCA Summer Arts Camps run from May 27 – August 15 and are held at two locations – COCA’s main campus in University City and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy (UHSP) in the Central West End. For children ages five and older, before and after care is available at both locations. To ensure cost is never a barrier for families, COCA provides a sliding-scale tuition program for qualifying students.

If your kids are too excited to wait for the summer, COCA also offers two Spring Break Arts Camp sessions March 17-21 and March 24-28 for kids ages three to 10. Spring Break features favorites from COCA’s summer series, such as its popular 3D Pen Designs and Action Movie camps, as well as new offerings like Cooking Around the World that takes campers on a culinary and cultural journey.

The joy and confidence kids build at COCA make its camps a must-do on your family’s summer checklist. According to Cooper, “We really want kids to feel a sense of empowerment at camp. Doing performing arts, and sometimes even visual arts, can be hard and scary when you’re putting yourself out there. I’m just as excited when kids are empowered to say ‘This class isn’t for me – I want to try something different’ as when they say, “I can’t wait to do this again!’ Art is about discovering yourself, and we’re so happy to give kids a safe place to make that possible.”

To learn more about all the COCA camps available and register your child for the 2025 session, visit cocastl.org/summer-arts-camps.