Summer of Wonder: Art Camp
From 2022-2024 Paint Love ran a very special art camp: Summer of Wonder. Unfortunately, Paint Love will not have our own summer camp in 2025. This decision comes after much deliberation and is due to a combination of factors, including the ending of key federal funding from a three-year BOOST grant, and our delayed move into a new studio space. It’s important to us that Summer of Wonder be the best possible experience for our campers - and that’s just not possible this year.
Paint Love is committed to serving our community and we will continue working with our nonprofit and community partners to bring extraordinary arts programming in as many places as possible this summer as part of their summer camps and programs. While we know it doesn’t solve your summer puzzle in 2025 and we’ll miss having kids in our own space, we are actively exploring how to invest in our Summer of Wonder experience as part of Paint Love’s strategic planning process for the years to come.
To learn more about the magic of our camp in its first three years, keep reading. And, please let us know if you’d like to be the first to know about the magic we’re planning to create starting in the summer of 2026!
The Story of Paint Love’s Summer of Wonder (2022, 2023, 2024)
Imagination flourished and creativity knew no bounds in Paint Love’s Summer of Wonder Art Camp - which ran from 2022-2024 (and will restart in 2026!). Led by Paint Love educators and artists, each week of camp included daily movement and intentional community building to welcome kids into exploring their own creative process and practice social-emotional skill building. We got messy, had fun, and made new friends all while creating together. Campers learned how to think a little more intentionally about how their selves and stories shape and are shaped by art and how to put their creative brains to use as good stewards of the relationships and spaces we share.
During six weeks of summer programming, Paint Love offered three art-centric themes, each repeated twice: Storytellers Camp, Nature Explorers Camp, and Movers & Makers Camp. We invited campers to try new types of artistic experiences, share their voices, and forge meaningful connections with their peers.
Each year, between 50-65% of our campers relied on financial aid including full and partial scholarships, made possible by our BOOST funding. We also offered after care and transportation solutions. In 2024 we joined forces with the DeKalb County Office of Youth Services to offer additional vouchers, ensuring that every child could enjoy the magic of camp, free from the weight of financial concerns. Starting in 2022, Paint Love partnered with local restaurant Whiskey Bird to serve hundreds of nourishing lunches, family style, ensuring all campers broke bread together.
What makes Paint Love’s Summer Camp different?
Social Emotional Skills
We've got it down to a science! Paint Love's professional teaching artists follow our unique model, engaging youth through movement and creativity to use art to process emotions and experiences and empower them to share their story.
Independence
Each session will incorporate directed "creation time" for youth to create freely - no cookie cutter step-by-step directions here. Teaching artists are there to help, but youth will have time to get into their creative zone and focus on something tactile - off a screen. Being able to make choices and take creative control and ownership is an important part of our empowering model.
Safe + Fun
We’re pros at keeping kids and groups safe with temperature checks, sanitized supplies, small groups, and getting outside as much as possible. We’re also pros at creating a fun environment that gives kids - and adults- time and freedom to play - something we could all use more of!
Staff are background checked, trained teaching artists, and fully Covid-19 vaccinated (+boosters)!
All supplies included
We will provide everything you need - yoga mats, snacks, and art supplies. Just bring a lunch and a water bottle for all programs.
Intentional Themes
Age- appropriate themes will drive each session. Paint Love Summer Camp will challenge everyone to think about big issues in a safe space, and not only teach campers new art techniques and skills, but expand their ability to think creatively and take positive action in their lives.
Building Community
Small groups offer opportunity for meaningful connection after more than a year of virtual learning and working for many. We also build community through diversity-celebrating themes and ensuring accessibility for all through scholarships.
Adult resources
Access to resources for parents and caregivers with guidance on using art to start conversations about hard topics with kids and teens, and self-care and creative stress relief for adults will be available for all participants.