Rockdale Citizen

Brandon Mack works on an art project during Creative Kids Camp presented by the Arts Association in Newton County.

With school almost at a close, parents need to start planning out the summer for their children and if the kids have any inclination toward the arts, there's plenty of local opportunities.

The Arts Association in Newton County, the Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts and the Southern Heartland Art Guild, all arts-related nonprofits in the area, provide week-long day camps for children to explore their creative sides.

Below is a breakdown of the camps:Creative Kids CampSponsored by the Arts Association in Newton County, Creative Kids Camp offers rising first- through sixth-graders a variety of activities each day, 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., during the week of June 4-8.

First- second- and third-graders will receive classes in instrumental music, visual art and vocal music each day. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders take sessions in visual art, vocal music and drama daily.

Teachers include Stephanie Cleveland, music teacher at Flint Hill Elementary School; Katy King, Rockdale County Schools art teacher; Laurie Bunn, former music teacher; Melissa Parker, Flint Hill art teacher; Alan Bunn, Jackson County High School choral teacher; and Jay Tryall, Oxford Youth Singers assistant artistic director.

At the end of each day, campers watch live performances by the musicians, storytellers and dancers, and at the end of the week, campers perform for parents.

The camp takes place at Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford, and accommodates about 125 campers.

Cost is $225 per camper and scholarships are available.

"It's great for the Arts Association because we can expose more kids to the arts in this intense week of fun and creative art projects," said Abigail Coggin, Young Artists Program director for the Arts Association.

To register, call the Arts Association at 770-786-8188 or visit www.newtoncountyarts.org.Musical Theater CampAnother Arts Association offering, Musical Theater Camp is a two-week long intensive camp for rising fourth- through 12th-graders to hone their singing, dancing and acting skills. The camp runs July 9-20 at the Newton High School auditorium at 140 Ram Drive in Covington.

Campers audition the first day of camp and are cast into various musical theater numbers. During the camp, youth rehearse musical numbers and learn accompanying staging and choreography. Rising fourth- through seventh-graders rehearse 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and older youth rehearse 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Musical Camp teachers include Mary Lynn Luke, a former Rockdale County choral teacher and current Oxford Youth Singers music director; Jay Tryall, director of the local theater group the New Depot Players and assistant artistic director for the Oxford Youth Singers; and Ashley Lazenby and Peter Swan, dancers and co-directors of the Covington Regional Ballet.

The camp culminates in a performance on July 20 at 7 p.m. at Newton High School.

Cost is $250, and those interested may call the Arts Association at 770-786-8188 or visit www.newtoncountyarts.org.ArtSmart CampPresented by the Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts, ArtSmart Camp is offered in two sessions, June 11-14 and June 18-21 at Memorial Middle School, 3205 Underwood Road in Conyers.

The camp, which accommodates children ages 6 to 14, offers five classes each day, two of which the children may choose themselves. Classes and teachers include drawing -- Orrin Morris; watercolor -- Sheila Myers; acting -- Tess Conway and Justin Conway; pottery -- Penny Lee; music -- Rebekah Roberts; and art -- Jay Domingo.

Camp is daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Cost before May 15 is $135, or after that date $150. Fee for Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts donors is $125. To register, call 770-922-3143 or visit www.conyersarts.org.Musical Drama CampThe Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts offers a Musical Drama Camp which runs July 9-21 at the Rockdale Auditorium, 903 Main St. in Conyers.

Designed for children ages third grade through college age, Musical Drama Camp casts campers in a variety of musical numbers where they receive singing, dancing and acting instruction. The camp runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day and the children perform on July 23.

Camp artistic director and choreographer is Joey Fargar, artistic director for local performance group Conyers Kids, and the music director is Brittney Jaynes.

Cost is $125. To register, call 770-922-3143 or visit www.conyersarts.org.Arty Art CampPresented by the Southern Heartland Art Guild, Arty Art Camp is geared toward the visual arts and campers may choose from two sets of sessions, with each set offering different lesson plans but the same art skill level.

The Green Sessions are offered June 11-14 and July 9-12, and the Blue Sessions are June 25-28 and July 16-19. Days run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Designed for rising first-graders through 12-year-old children, the camp offers children the opportunity to make wire art, collage, painting and drawing, as well as learn about the color wheel. Throughout the week, children also study 12 different artists and their works.

"We're exploring lots of mediums. I'm trying to expose the kids to as many different products as possible," said Ann Wildmon, camp director. "We don't do craft type projects; we do fine art, we learn about art.

Cost for the week is $165 and campers may register by calling 770-788-8799 or in-person at the Southern Heartland Art Gallery, 1132 Monticello St. in Covington, where classes take place. For applications and more information, visit www.southernheartlandart.com.