RAPID CITY, SD – The Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) is excited to announce its Summer Art Camps for 2025! Get ready for a global art adventure as the RCAC will cross land and sea through hands-on art projects aimed at educating and entertaining youth entering grades 1 through 6. Camps will run for 4 days at a time from the first week of June through the second week in August, offering a plethora of activities centered around engaging Rapid City’s elementary students when schools dismiss for the summer.
Hosted at the Dahl Arts Center, a cornerstone for community arts education located in downtown Rapid City, these 20 camps provide a creative outlet in a positive environment where children can learn, play, and grow. RCAC’s programs are based on national standards for high-quality arts education. Each camp includes “choice-based” art lessons designed to enhance creativity and critical thinking. Campers will bring home art and lifelong memories from projects like Paper Mâché Planets, Flower & Leaf Pressings, Handmade Botanical Paper, and Jellyfish Mobiles!
Most summer camps take place Monday-Thursday from 9am to 3pm, with lessons led by certified art teachers. The June and July Clay Camps will run on Fridays throughout their respective months, offering focused exploration of handbuilding and ceramic techniques. Every camp includes a tour of the galleries at the Dahl in addition to artmaking in the classroom, providing campers with the opportunity to engage with art in a variety of ways. Students should bring a sack lunch, a water bottle, and be dressed ready to get creative and a little messy.
Melissa Nelson, Education Director for the RCAC said, “At the Rapid City Arts Council, we’re proud to deliver high-quality, engaging, and standards-aligned educational experiences that inspire creativity and critical thinking. Our summer camps offer fun, meaningful opportunities for all youth in our community to explore, create, and grow.”
Older students, currently in grades 6-12, can take advantage of our Junior Counselors program, where they work closely with staff, camp instructors, and enthusiastic campers to create a fun and inspiring art camp experience. Gain invaluable hands-on experience in a professional art education setting while developing essential leadership skills. If a student is interested in this program, they should visit rapidcityartscouncil.org/summercamps to learn more and apply.
Generous support from donors such as the Gwendolyn L. Stearn Foundation, the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, individual donors, and the City of Rapid City enables RCAC to provide affordable, high-quality educational experiences in the arts for more than 2,000 Rapid City youth each year. Through these donations, more than $10,000 in scholarship funds are available to families with financial need interested in placing children in RCAC’s educational programs.
Those interested in seeking financial assistance for summer art camp enrollment may submit a brief form before the start date of the camp. The form is available at: visit rapidcityartscouncil.org/scholarships. For questions or to get assistance, please contact us at: education@thedahl.org.
Registration is now open at rapidcityartscouncil.org/summercamps. Spots fill quickly, so early registration is encouraged. Scholarships through the Open Door Fund are available for families where registration fees would be a barrier to participation. Don’t miss this opportunity to make art, make friends, and make the most of summer with RCAC!
