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Featured Image courtesy of Springboard to Learning

Summer has almost arrived in St. Louis, and there are several opportunities for children and teenagers to explore the arts through a local summer camp. From theater and performance to visual art and music, St. Louis boasts a variety of options sure to keep your campers busy. 

 

Central Print: Summer Camp  

Central Print is offering two summer sessions exploring the art of printmaking— Passport to Print and Nature’s Imprint. 

Visual Arts/Craft (Printmaking) 

Age groups: 6-10 

Dates: June 23-Aug. 1 

Learn More 

 

Cinema St. Louis: Filmmaking Camps  

Register for a free filmmaking camp from Cinema St. Louis offering hands-on learning from basic filmmaking principles to reviewing the entire production process. 

Filmmaking 

Age groups: 8-18 

Dates: July 7-25 

Learn More 

 

Circus Harmony Summer Performance Camp

Circus Harmony invites participants of all ages and skill levels to explore the art of circus through engaging camps offering hands-on training in juggling, object manipulation, aerial arts, and more – all culminating in a fun public performance at City Museum!

Theater/Performance (Circus Arts) 

Age groups: 7-17+ 

Dates: May 26-August 1 (classes divided into two week sessions) 

Learn More 

 

COCA Summer Arts Camps  

Learn new things and build your skills all while having fun at COCA’s camps for kids and teens. 

Art, Dance, Theater/Performance, Music  

Age groups: 3-18 

Dates: May 27-Aug. 15 

Learn More  

 

Craft Alliance Summer Camp 

Join the Craft Alliance this summer for creative sessions on pottery, flaming glass, fantastic fibers, metalsmithing, and more. 

Visual Art/Craft (Pottery, Weaving, Metalsmithing, Screen Printing and more) 

Age groups: 7-18 

Dates: June 2-Aug. 8 

Learn More  

 

DaySpring Summer Camp 

DaySpring offers a camp with highly qualified teachers with expertise in dance, drama, musical theatre, tech theatre, visual arts, circus, and music. 

STEAM, Visual Art/Craft, Music, Dance, Theater/Performance 

Age groups: 3-18  

Dates: June 9-Aug. 19  

Learn More 

 


Image courtesy of Grand Center Arts Academy

Grand Center Arts Academy Summer Arts Camps 

Grand Center’s summer camp hosts interactive courses in instrumental and vocal music, theater, dance, and visual arts. 

Activities: Music, Dance, Theater/Performance, Visual Art/Craft 

Age groups: Grades 5-12   

Dates: July 7-11 and July 14-18 

Learn More 

 


Image courtesy of Laumeier Sculpture Park

Laumeier Sculpture Park Art Camp  

Summer art programs hosted on the green spaces of the park’s 105-acre campus feature classes centered around natural wonders and imaginative art projects. 

Activities: Visual Art/Craft (Art History, Visual Arts, Design, and more)  

Age groups: 3.5-18 

Dates: June 24-July 29 

Learn More 

 

Metro Theater Company Creative Arts Camp  

Be a part of a summer of creative discovery where campers enjoy fun-filled days exploring drama, visual art, creative movement, and music with professional teaching artists. 

Theater/Performance, Music, Visual Art/Craft 

Age groups: Pre-K-5th grade 

Dates: July 28-Aug. 8 

Learn More 

 

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis  

Opera Theatre opens the door to the magic of opera for campers of all skill levels.

Activities: Theater/Performance, Music (Opera) 

Age groups: 9-12 

Dates: June 2-6 

Learn More 

 

Pianos for People Summer Piano Camp  

Pianos for People offers a variety of free and low-cost classes all centered around developing campers’ skills on the piano. 

Music, Dance 

Age groups: 6-18+ 

Dates: May 13-July 21 

Learn More 

 


Image courtesy of Saint Louis Dance Theatre

Saint Louis Dance Theatre Summer Intensive  

Saint Louis Dance Theatre offers full-day training in ballet, jazz, contemporary techniques, and new choreography and company repertoire. 

Dance (Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary)  

Age groups: 10-18+ 

Dates: June 16-July 17 

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Saint Louis Ballet Summer Intensive  

This summer intensive program offers a variety of dance classes across different genres, focused on ballet as the foundation. 

Dance (Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Musical Theater, Hip Hop)   

Age groups: 7-18 

Dates: June 16-June 30  

Learn More  

 

STAGES St. Louis Summer Camps 

Acting intensives, intro to improv, triple threat training, and full-fledged summer productions—STAGES has it all. 

Theater/Performance (Acting, Improv, Musicals)  

Age groups: 3-18 

Dates: June 3-Aug. 5 

Learn More 

 

St. Louis Artist Guild: Camp STLAG 

Camp at the St. Louis Artist Guild makes space for students of all ages to participate in art classes that develop their abilities and imagination while exploring new mediums. 

Visual Art/Craft 

Age groups: 6-18 

Dates: June 9-July 25 

Learn More 

 

St. Louis Irish Arts  

Join St. Louis’ first and oldest school of Irish music and dance this summer and discover the fun of learning Irish dance, songs and games. 

Dance, Music (Irish Dance, Ensemble Music, Small Group Instrument, Singing, and more) 

Age groups: 8-12 

Dates: June 2-14 

Learn More 

 


Image courtesy of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival: Summer Shakespeare Studio 

Join sessions with professional Shakespeare performers, learn stagecraft and combat, and perform famous Shakespearean plays. 

Theater/Performance 

Age groups: 9-13 and 14-19 

Dates: June 2-27 

Learn More 

 

The Magic House Summer Camp 

Summer Camp at The Magic House offers kids the opportunity to explore art, science, performance, and innovation. 

STEAM, Theater/Performance 

Age groups: 5-10 

Dates: June 2-Aug. 11 

Learn More 

 

The Repertory Theatre St. Louis: Camp Rep 

Camp Rep creates an immersive experience where campers can perform and thrive. Classes range from Broadway dance and acting to creative storytelling and scenic and lighting design. 

Theater/Performance (Acting, Music, Movement, and Creative Storytelling) 

Age groups: 7-13 

Dates: July 7-Aug. 8 

Learn More 

 

Webster University Community Music School (CMS) Summer Programs 

From pop songwriting camp to summer jazz choir, summer programs at CMS offer campers a variety of options to develop music skills. 

Music 

Age groups: Pre-K-Grade 12 

Dates: May 30-Aug. 2 

Learn More 

Featured Image Metro Theater Company

 

From big, lively productions to intimate shows that move you, St. Louis’ performances are etched into its history. For 40 years now, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has uplifted and supported the performing arts.  

Theater, dance and even experimental music, some grantees have been with RAC since the very beginning. Opera Theatre of St. Louis, MADCO, New Music Circle, Metro Theater Company and The Black Rep are a few of the many organizations who have been curating and bringing to life some of St. Louis’ most memorable, lively performances for decades. 

 

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 

As one of the leading opera companies in the country, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has been staging performances since its first season in 1976.  

“RAC has supported that [Opera Theatre] has been taking risks, and there is an incredibly virtuous cycle that emerges where RAC support has helped us to grow into the company that we are, because we’ve had stability in our infrastructure and stability in the support that makes our existence possible,” said General Director of Opera Theatre Andrew Jorgensen. “This allows us to start dreaming about what comes next, and it’s hard to overstate how meaningful that is.”  

Opera Theatre is celebrating its 50th season this year, following the same key principles they have kept since their start –– excellence, approachability, civic impact, diversity and inclusion, innovation, fiscal responsibility, and fun. The ability to lift up and center these values consistently over the years means the organization has been able to push the boundaries of what people can expect from opera theatre.  


Image courtesy of Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Don Pasquale (1976)

“Our staff has grown, our resources have grown, and that has enabled us to commit even more deeply and reach even further in the direction of [our] values,” Jorgensen said. “Commissioning world premieres, investing in making opportunity accessible for young artists and taking programs into schools and into the community.”  

Jorgensen notes that a huge part of how the organization is able to stick with these values and bring them to life in creative, effective ways is due to both RAC’s financial support and overall advocacy for the sector


Image courtesy of Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Fire Shut Up in My Bones (2019)

“RAC isn’t just a funder,” said Jorgensen. “In the arts community, RAC has really taken a centralized role in being a thought leader, being a convener, being a voice and being an advocate. As RAC celebrates its 40th, I think we should also celebrate not just the philanthropic leadership of RAC, but also the civic leadership of RAC.”  

MADCO  

MADCO (Modern American Dance Company) was founded in 1976 to provide ample space for Midwest dancers to live, work, entertain, and teach. Throughout the years, MADCO brought on a variety of artistic directors, each serving their own unique purpose in forming MADCO into the multi-award-winning dance company it is today. 

“Funding from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has historically allowed MADCO to bring performances to communities when ticket sales and circumstances cannot support them,” said Board Secretary Tricia Zweier. “RAC has been pivotal in providing fundamental support in terms of legal and structural matters –– ensuring that MADCO continues as a healthy organization that continues to give back to the community.” 

Some of the fundamental MADCO programing RAC has assisted with include two in-school programs –– Insight and Freedom, which shares history and new dance techniques with students, Dance Expressions, a creative movement class for individuals with disabilities –– and Books in Motion, combing literature and dance for students.  

RAC also supported the Emmy award-winning Liquid Roads, which tells the story of how the Mississippi River served as a highway, carrying music between St. Louis and New Orleans. Choreographed by Gina Patterson, the national touring of this show was made possible by a RAC grant in 2014. 

Currently in its 49th season, headed steadfast into its 50th, Zweier said the company will continue to “live up to its legacy as the oldest modern dance company in the region” and is grateful for RAC’s support as they enter their next chapter.  

 

New Music Circle 

Creating, performing, and highlighting experimental, improvisational music is the focus of New Music Circle (NMC). Founded in 1959, it is the longest established organization of its kind.  

Since 2010, Jeremy Kannapell has worked for NMC coordinating programs and publicity. He describes his position as being on the “ground level” in supporting and amplifying the organization’s mission, while also expanding the overall cultural life of St. Louis.   

Over the years, Kannapell said RAC support has contributed to a variety of different aspects of NMC performances, from logistics like ensuring the stage can be seen from every single seat in the house to the overall quality level of the performances that are put on.  

“The overall mission at [New Music Circle] has stayed the same, but it has evolved.” Kannapell said. “Over the years our board has grown, and they all offer different perspectives that make for incredibly interesting seasons.”  

He also said that throughout NMC’s history, the attendance level for performances has increased by at least three times the original size.  

Though there are many, Kannapell recalls two transformative performances RAC supported that stood out to him and the St. Louis community.  

“John Wiese had a weeklong residency that included eighteen local musicians working together to create a 55-minute-long piece,” Kannapell said. “Ellen Fullman is another artist we brought in, who is an experimental musician known for The Long String Instrument. We set this up at WashU for a week, and we were so grateful to have gotten to use the space for that long.”  

 

Metro Theater Company  

Metro Theater Company (MTC), previously Metro Theater Circus, was started in the early 1970’s as a six-member ensemble of artists with diverse artistic backgrounds ranging from dancers and musicians to visual artists and teachers.  

Carol North was the Artistic Director at MTC for 30 years and wrote the first grant application that the theater company made in RAC’s very first year, which North jokes she mailed in, as that is how it was done back then. 


Image courtesy of Metro Theater Company 

“RAC has continued to be a vital partner in supporting MTC’s growth and development. General operating support from RAC has meant the world to MTC over the years,” said North. “[The] support enabled us to maintain our commitment to pay artists a living wage with benefits, attract first-rate collaborators, expand our audiences, deepen community partnerships, grow responsibly, and embrace artistic risk, time and again.” 

North said RAC provided critical funding that helped MTC produce one of their most ambitious projects –– Hana’s Suitcase by Emily Sher. When it premiered for two weeks in 2007, over 11,000 people came to see it. It also garnered the organization 29 new local program partnerships in the community.  

North also noted that RAC support was vital for Building Community Through Drama, an in-school artist residency program that developed in part by a RAC CAT fellow,  Emily Kohring.  

MTC was also one of the three participants in EmcArts New Pathways Program, an opportunity brought to St. Louis by RAC, where they won a $10,000 award to design, implement and assess a prototype project that addressed MTC’s challenges,  which included moving to their current permanent location with visible street presence in the Grand Center Arts District.


Image courtesy of Metro Theater Company 

“I know that without the support of the Regional Arts Commission over the years – in all the many ways RAC has lent that support – the story [for MTC] would be quite different,” said North. “The beneficiaries [of MTC’s events and programs over the years are] young people, families, educators and community members of every stripe whose stories bring us together in the varied dance of human experience.” 

 

The Black Rep 

Founded by Ron Himes in the late 1970s, The Black Rep is committed to producing, reimagining, and commissioning work written by Black playwrights. 

For nearly five decades, The Black Rep has created a more equitable theater scene for Black professionals and students in theater, improving representation both on and off the stage while fostering a community culture of mentorship and support. 

Over the years, Himes said the company had experienced constant changes –– both in programing and in location. They navigate the changes through the lens of their strategic plan, which focus on celebrating the rich cannon of African American literature and on relevant and meaningful educational programming for schools and community organizations, all while keeping in mind institutional stability and fiscal responsibility. 

“With RAC’s continued support, we envision creating and sharing a theater experience that fulfills the expectations for the leading and largest Black arts institution in the region,” said Himes.  

This past Wednesday, the Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA), Sue Greenberg, was honored at the annual Missouri Art Awards for her leadership in the arts. Greenberg has served as the executive director at VLAA since 1986, providing invaluable services to artists and arts organizations, supporting the artistic community in greater St. Louis and eastern Missouri.  

“It’s always inspiring to gather with arts advocates in Jefferson City,” said Greenberg. “This year, I had the honor of receiving a Missouri Arts Council award and the opportunity to publicly thank our volunteers and longstanding supporters, including the Regional Arts Commission [of St. Louis].”  

The Missouri Art Awards Honorees are chosen from six categories: Arts Education, Arts Organization, Creative Community, Individual Artist, Leadership in the Arts, and Philanthropy.  

The Saint Louis Art Fair also received an award as a top arts organization in the state. Founded in 1994, the Saint Louis Art Fair aims to showcase both visual arts and musical performances. Over the last 30 years, they have had more than 780 performers and provided exhibition space to more than 4,700 artists. The award was accepted by the fair’s Executive Director, Sarah Umlauf. 

Since 1983, the Missouri Arts Council has hosted the Missouri Art Awards to honor a variety of individuals, organizations, and communities throughout the state for their significant contributions to Missouri’s artistic and cultural legacy.  

The award ceremony was held during Missouri Arts Advocacy Week, organized by Missouri Citizens for the Arts. Each year, organizations and individuals across the state come together and meet with senators and representatives to advocate for support and funding for the arts. 


Poster artwork is “Tree Farm” by Bryan Haynes of Washington. Missouri Arts Council. 

As 2024 winds down, we reflect on another milestone year for the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and celebrate more major steps taken towards a thriving arts and culture scene. Impactful grantmaking, investing all ARPA for the Arts dollars back into the sector, enticing arts tourism to our region, being the catalyst for an influx of murals throughout the city, and more – it has been a historic year.

In 2024, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis distributed more than $9 million total grant dollars in St. Louis.

We did this – and so much more – thanks to the commitment of our Board of Commissioners, the expertise of our staff, the passion of our partners, and the support of people like you who understand the value and vibrancy of an inclusive, collaborative arts community.

Check out our 2024 Impact Page to see the full scope of how the money was allocated and to share in this year’s success for St. Louis.

More than 100 passionate arts and health advocates attended the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis’ inaugural Arts + Health Symposium this past October. The symposium featured a variety of speakers focused on the relationship between the arts and health. 

A variety of speakers shared their knowledge, including medical and neural researchers who explore the effects of creativity on the body and mind to local arts agency leaders who are actively using this information to grow across sectors 

The symposium ignited exciting and necessary conversations for our city. From the presentations to the one-on-one conversations, the room was full of positive energy and incredible minds. 

In a post-symposium survey, 98 percent of attendees said they would recommend this event to others.  

“I hope you keep doing events like this –– on this topic or others. There is a lot of information out there, and there are many areas where the arts cross with other (better funded) topics, which helps us all,” said an Arts & Health Symposium attendee.   

Collectively, we explored the transformative power of creativity and renewed our commitment to highlighting the importance of linking the arts to health outcomes. 

Sheila Suderwalla focused on race-related trauma during her presentation, “Healing Through Creative Self-Expression: Addressing Race-Based Traumatic Stress.”

“I am grateful to the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis for championing healing arts, specifically how we can heal individually and collectively through creative self-expression,” said Sheila Suderwalla, Artist First Executive Director.  

Head here to find recorded plenary presentations and view each speaker’s slides from the symposium.