BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — SLC Arts is gearing up for its second annual teen summer arts camp and this year local youth who enroll will get hands-on instruction in graphic design, drawing, ceramics, songwriting, theatre and other creative endeavors.

The six-week camp geared to youth ages 11-18 is focused on “growing the next generation of artists,” said Katharine Dinneen, SLC Arts director of production and communications.

“The mission of SLC Arts is to enrich the vibrancy of the North Country community by cultivating art appreciation and inspiring creative expression -- and that is exactly what our Teen Summer Arts Camp is designed to do,” said Dinneen. “The SLC Arts summer camp will provide students the opportunity to learn new skills, gain exposure to a variety of arts disciplines, and develop a set of tools to use the arts as a method for both community cohesiveness and self-reflection.”

“These new skills will help prepare students for a possible career in the arts and give them a better understanding of the arts as a whole, as well as demonstrate to students how the arts can impact their community in a positive way, and give them the confidence to support their communities and families by manifesting the arts in their daily lives,” Dinneen said.

This year’s camp is expanded to six weeks from last year’s four-week session. Dinneen said each week’s classes have different registration caps but enrollment is expected to be between 10-25 students per class depending on the week. Students can sign up for morning or afternoon sessions. Registration is $75 per week for a morning or afternoon session or $150 a week for both.

The schedule for the six-week camp is as follows:

• Week 1 (July 10-14): Graphic Design (AM) instructed by Felicity Sarsfield & Video and Digital Media (PM) instructed by Elijah Shatraw

• Week 2 (July 17-21): Drawing (AM) instructed by Lisa Dashnaw & Ceramics (PM) instructed by Andrew Norrell

• Week 3 (July 24-28): Starting a Band 101 (AM) instructed by Mark Lyon & Music Improv (PM) instructed by Josh Barkley

• Week 4 (July 31-Aug 4): Singer-Songwriter (AM) instructed by Jae Dani & Music Confidence (PM) instructed by Josh Barkley

• Week 5 (Aug 7-11): Creative Writing (AM) instructed by Rebecca Donnelly & Poetry (PM) instructed by Amanda Goldstein

• Week 6 (Aug 14-18): Theatre Design (AM) instructed by Liza Paige & Acting (PM) instructed by Jade Varney

“While students are welcome to register for any combination of sessions, our full summer camp class line-up is a fantastic opportunity for teens to be exposed to a variety of disciplines and mediums,” Dinneen told North Country This Week. “We are very lucky to be working with a group of stellar, local teaching artists to provide this opportunity for our community.”

Most classes this year will be held in the basement community room of the United Methodist Church, 26 Main St. due to ongoing renovations at SLC Arts’ Creative Spirit Community Arts Center. More details are available to those that register.

“This summer, our students will embark on a creative journey, exploring a diverse range of artistic disciplines, including visual arts, literary arts, performing arts and more,” Dinneen said. “With opportunities to collaborate, learn new skills, and unleash their creative potential, this camp promises to ignite their passion for the arts and cultivate lifelong appreciation for self-expression and artistic exploration. This is an excellent chance to nurture your teen's artistic talents and provide them with a memorable and enriching summer adventure.”

The camp is partially funded this year by the St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau. Scholarships are available for eligible students. Learn more at https://slc-arts-council.myshopify.com/products/teen-summer-camp-registration .