Summer Art Camp for Kids Ages 5-14
Summer Art Camp offers weekly artistic adventures and celebrations of creativity, friendship, and fun. Campers enjoy art making of all kinds in a safe, accessible environment with highly skilled instructors.
A variety of thematic camps are designed for different age groups and involve painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, comics, and mixed-media projects in the historic studios of the oldest art school and museum in the United States.
Looking for summer activities for high school students? Check out Summer Academy our advanced arts program for high schoolers.
Each week of camp has a theme, and you can register for a specific week or for the whole summer, whatever works best for your family. Sessions also include age-appropriate creative play and rest times, reading and storytelling, and socializing. Campers visit museum galleries for tours led by art educators, and occasionally take walks to the nearby park (weather permitting). Every Friday, campers prepare for an Art Exhibition where their work from throughout the week is on view and family and friends of the campers are invited to the exhibition.
Review Camp refund policy in Youth and Family Programs Policies and Procedures before registering.
Email arteducation@pafa.edu or call 215-972-2054 if you have any questions.
Support for Summer Camp at PAFA is provided by the Hassel Foundation.
Art Camp 2027
Dates: June 21–August 13 | Mon–Fri
Time: 9 AM - 3 PM. Early drop off is at 8:30 AM. Aftercare will be from 3 PM - 5:30 PM.
Ages: 5–7 | 8–10 | 11–14
Location: PAFA’s Hamilton Building. 128 N. Broad Street
PAFA is easily accessible by public transportation. For information, driving directions and parking information, please go to the Plan Your Visit page.
Cost: $575 per week
- PAFA Household/Dual Plus Membership tuition is 10% off. (You must be an active member throughout the camp period. Renew or Become a Member Now).
Multi-Camp discount: Register for 3 or more weeks of camp at one time and get $10 off per camp (great deal for sibling campers!) Please note, later additions to camp registration do not qualify for the discount.
Curious about the Day in the Life of Summer Camp? Check out this video made by our team to learn more about the program!
Art Camp 2027 Schedule by Age Group
Check the registration website to see current status of camps availability.
SOPHOMORES (AGES 5-7)
| Week 1 | To Infinity and Beyond! | 6/21/2027 | Explore the wonders of the solar system, galaxies, and more. Let’s create art that is OUT OF THIS WORLD! |
| Week 2 | Dinotopia | 6/28/2027 | Imagine yourself in prehistoric times and create a colorful world of plants, fossils, and dinosaur friends. |
| Week 3 | Adventure Awaits | 7/6/2027 | Ready, set, go! Jet set and be prepared to travel around the world to many different locations. Whether we go by bus, plane, or boat, let’s create art about our adventures at every destination. |
| Week 4 | Circus of Art | 7/12/2027 | Gather around the big top for a clowny, zany, and colorful art making experience. Be inspired by the acts, characters, and animals of the circus. |
| Week 5 | Wonders of Nature | 7/19/2027 | Let’s spend our camp days and hours exploring trees, cool rocks, and flowers! Adventure into the deep blue seas, viney green jungles, and scorching hot deserts. Be a nature explorer and create your own natural habitats of the great outdoors. |
| Week 6 | Pets and Critters | 7/26/2027 | Dogs, cats, hamsters, and rats! Do you have a pet you’ll never forget? Or maybe you want one and you don’t have one yet. We will create our own cute little critters, creatures, and pets! |
| Week 7 | Games and Toys | 8/2/2027 | Create art of your favorite real games and toys and invent characters and sets for new games/toys. |
| Week 8 | Imagination Station | 8/9/2027 | Unleash your imagination and let it guide you toward creating the most incredibly, unbelievable, outstandingly, impossible artwork and thingamajigs ever! |
JUNIORS (AGES 8-10)
For Juniors (Ages 8-10) and Seniors (Ages 11-14), we have consolidated our classes to the most popular with two sessions of each class: Families can choose which week works best for them, or campers can take both sessions. The first is not a prerequisite for the next and foundational lessons will be given in both.
| Week 1 | Comics 101 | 6/21/2027 | This elementary level class will cover the basics of traditional comic book drawing. Students will learn the foundational techniques and skills of illustration and narrative art. Projects will surround these through creative and engaging work with classic comic concepts such as character design, line art, and story telling. |
| Week 2 | Comics 102 | 6/28/2027 | An elementary level comic book drawing class that builds on the foundations of classical art techniques. This class can be taken in part with ‘Comics 101’ or by itself. The projects will combine lessons from traditional illustration with imaginative and experimental exercises using multiple materials. Campers who take this class will express creativity through cartoon design, pop art, and world building. |
| Week 3 | Sculpture 101 | 7/6/2027 | The basics of traditional sculpture at an elementary level class. Students will learn foundational techniques and skills, with new and familiar materials. Projects will include creative and engaging sculpture lessons based on classical art. With materials like cardboard, clay, and textiles. These will include free standing work, wall hangings, and small hand held art, and more. |
| Week 4 | Sculpture 102 | 7/12/2027 | An elementary level Sculpture class that builds on the foundations of traditional art. This class can be taken in part with ‘Sculpture 101’ or by itself. The projects will combine lessons from classical sculpture with imaginative and experimental exercises using multiple materials. Campers who take this class will express creativity through 3D design, with mixed media, abstraction, and experimental challenges. |
| Week 5 | Painting 101 | 7/19/2027 | The basics of traditional painting at an elementary level class. Students will learn foundational techniques and skills, with new and familiar materials. Projects will include creative and engaging lessons based on classical art such as still life, Landscapes, portraiture, master copies, and more. |
| Week 6 | Painting 102 | 7/26/2027 | An elementary level Painting class that builds on the foundations of traditional art. This class can be taken in part with ‘Painting 101’ or by itself. The projects will combine lessons from classical painting with imaginative and experimental exercises using multiple materials. Campers who take this class will express creativity through themes such as abstraction, color, style, expression, and more. |
| Week 7 | Drawing 101 | 8/2/2027 | An elementary level class on the basics of traditional drawing. Students will learn foundational techniques and skills, with new and familiar materials. Projects will include creative and engaging lessons based on classical art such as still life, portraiture, master copies, landscapes, and more. |
| Week 8 | Drawing 102 | 8/9/2027 | An elementary level drawing class that builds on the foundations of traditional art. This class can be taken in part with ‘Drawing 101’ or by itself. The projects will combine lessons from classical drawing with imaginative and experimental exercises using multiple materials. Campers who take this class will express creativity through themes such as abstraction, design, expression, and more. |
SENIORS (AGES 11-14)
For Juniors (Ages 8-10) and Seniors (Ages 11-14), we have consolidated our classes to the most popular with two sessions of each class: Families can choose which week works best for them, or campers can take both sessions. The first is not a prerequisite for the next and foundational lessons will be given in both.
| Week 1 | Comics 101 | 6/21/2027 | A class focused on fusing the skills of writing and art to create visual storytellers. We will have exercises in the fundamentals of story; characters, story, setting, and themes. The focus of Comics 101 will be on character, with the goal to create a strong character that can be used in a variety of stories (ex. Batman, Spongebob, Adventure Time). |
| Week 2 | Comics 102 | 6/28/2027 | A class focused on fusing the skills of writing and art to create visual storytellers. We will have exercises in the fundamentals of story; characters, story, setting, and themes. The focus of Comics 102 will be balancing the fundamentals to work on a large single complete story. |
| Week 3 | Sculpture 101 | 7/6/2027 | A classical sculpture class, focused on building a traditional foundation of skills with exercises such as busts, figures, animals, and more. |
| Week 4 | Sculpture 102 | 7/12/2027 | An experimental sculpture class, focused on using sculpture as a means to train creativity with exercises in creature creation, toy and plushie design, marionette and stage design, and more. |
| Week 5 | Painting 101 | 7/19/2027 | A classical painting class, focused on building a traditional foundation of skills with exercises such as still-life, portraiture, figuration, landscape, and master copies. |
| Week 6 | Painting 102 | 7/26/2027 | An experimental painting class, focused on using painting as a means to train creativity with exercises in narrative, abstraction, unconventional tools and surfaces, and more. |
| Week 7 | Drawing 101 | 8/2/2027 | A classical drawing class, focused on building a traditional foundation of skills with exercises such as still-life, portraiture, figuration, landscape, animal drawing, and master copies. |
| Week 8 | Drawing 102 | 8/9/2027 | An experimental drawing class, focused on using drawing as a means to train creativity with exercises in narrative, abstraction, typography, and more. |
Additional Information
Masks: Optional
Lunch and Snacks: A mid-morning nut-free snack is provided.
Campers bring their own lunches every day. Note: we are not able to refrigerate or heat lunches. Please label your camper’s lunch bag with their name.
PLEASE supply nut-free lunches.
Water: Campers bring their own water bottles. Camp staff will supply filtered water to refill the bottles.
Supplies: All supplies are provided for each camp.
Aftercare: Aftercare will begin at 3 PM. All campers must be picked up by 5:30 PM. Register for Aftercare here.
Monday: Campers check into their camps on Monday mornings between 8:30 and 9am. A brief introduction and orientation to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts takes place, and campers tour the buildings with their individual camps.
Wacky Wednesdays: Fun themed up day!
Friday Exhibition: As always, the campers will stage an End of Week Camp Exhibition.
Clothing: Art camp may get messy! Please dress appropriately. Staff will make every effort to keep campers neat and clean, but campers should wear clothing that can get dirty. Also, campers may want to bring a sweater or sweatshirt in case they feel cold in the museum.
Lost and Found: There will be a Lost and Found kept in the Camp Office. Please email arteducation@pafa.edu or call 215-972-2054 if you need assistance in finding a lost item and/or to arrange the pickup. All items must be picked up before September 1, otherwise they will be discarded.
PLEASE label your child's belongings with their name.
Daily Schedule
| Monday | Tuesday-Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Arrival and Check-in 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Orientation and Camp tour for campers 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM - Session 1 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM - Snack Break 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Session 2 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - Lunch 1:15 PM – 3:00 PM - Session 3 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM - Dismissal 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM - Aftercare | 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Drop Off 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM - Session 1 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM - Snack Break 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Session 2 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - Lunch 1:15 PM – 3:00 PM - Session 3 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM - Dismissal 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM - Aftercare | 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Drop Off 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM - Session 1 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM - Snack Break 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Session 2 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - Lunch 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM - Session 3: Exhibition Preparation 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM - Week-at-a-Glance camp highlights slideshow at the Auditorium 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM - Camp exhibition in the Cast Hall studios 2:55–3:15 – Artwork pick up and dismissal (we ask not to remove your camper’s artwork before 2:55pm so all families can enjoy the show) 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM - Aftercare |
Monday
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM - Arrival and Check-in
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Orientation and Camp tour for campers
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM - Session 1
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM - Snack Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Session 2
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - Lunch
1:15 PM – 3:00 PM - Session 3
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM - Dismissal
Tuesday-Thursday
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Drop Off
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM - Session 1
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM - Snack Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Session 2
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - Lunch
1:15 PM – 3:00 PM - Session 3
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM - Dismissal
Friday
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Drop Off
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM - Session 1
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM - Snack Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM - Session 2
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - Lunch
1:15 PM - 2:00 PM - Session 3: Exhibition Preparation
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM - Week-at-a-Glance camp highlights slideshow at the Auditorium
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM - Camp exhibition in the Cast Hall studios
2:55 PM – 3:15 PM - Artwork pick-up and dismissal (we ask not to remove your camper’s artwork before 2:55 PM so all families can enjoy the show)
PAFA is licensed through the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. Program structure and details are subject to standard academic and accreditation review and may be updated accordingly.
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PAFA offers programs for artists and art lovers of all ages and skill levels who want to learn about and make art.