Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) is excited to announce the launch of RCA Summer of Arts, a new series of free Community Art Programs designed for youth, teens, and families. From Tuesdays to Saturdays, from July 7 to August 28, this all-encompassing summer program offers diverse creative activities suitable for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
"We are incredibly grateful to be able to provide these new free youth and family programs to our community," says Colleen Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Rotary Centre for the Arts. "As a non-profit performing arts organization, we firmly believe in the power of arts education and its ability to transform lives. By offering these accessible and cost-free programs, we are removing barriers and ensuring that all young individuals, regardless of their socio-economic background, have the opportunity to explore their creativity, develop new skills, and experience the joy of artistic expression. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Sedin Family Foundation for their generous donation, which has made it possible to bring the RCA Summer of Arts to our community."
The RCA Summer of Arts presents an opportunity for participants to immerse themselves in a wide variety of art forms, including Visual Arts, Textile Arts, DJing, Circus Arts, Street Dance, and more. This diverse selection aims to inspire artistic expression, nurture creativity, and provide a platform for personal growth and development.
Youth aged 11-15 are specifically invited to explore the captivating Visual Arts classes, which encompass painting, drawing, watercolour, printmaking, and other visual arts techniques. DJing and Clothing Customization sessions introduce the world of DJing, covering its history and the utilization of various DJ equipment. Participants also get an exclusive chance to personalize their shoes, clothes, bags, skateboards, and more. Textile Arts classes focus on developing sewing, altering, tailoring, knitting, weaving, and other textile art skills. Also, Family Visual Arts Saturdays offer engaging visual arts activities suitable for participants of all ages, fostering creativity and family bonding. Participants aged 13 and above will have the opportunity to acquire and refine their skills in hip-hop and funk through engaging Street Dance workshops. Additionally, they will explore their creativity by crafting magnificent, larger-than-life puppets in the Giant Puppet workshops.
The RCA Summer of Arts also presents 3-day intensives tailored for participants aged 13-16. These immersive intensives provide an in-depth exploration of specific art forms and culminate in a showcase of the participants' work. Visual Arts intensives provide three days of focused instruction in painting, drawing, printmaking, or other visual arts disciplines. The resulting artworks will be proudly exhibited at the BC Interior Health Kelowna building's second-floor exhibition space. Circus Arts intensives concentrate on developing skills such as juggling, acrobatics, flow movement, poi arts, and hoop dancing. Anime Arts and Cartooning intensives guide participants in acquiring anime/cartoon drawing skills, including character design, world-building, and capturing expressions.
The RCA Summer of Arts is made possible through a generous donation from the Sedin Family Foundation. Donations to the Rotary Centre for the Arts provide these enriching art programs to the community, creating opportunities for artistic exploration and personal development.
The City of Kelowna has also launched the Rec & Ride Summer Youth Pass, offering heavily discounted transit passes that allow youth to attend these programs.
To find out more about each program and to ensure a spot, RSVP at: https://rotarycentreforthearts.com/events/special-events/summer-of-arts