Play and experiment in weekly, art-filled camps at the Creative Workshop! We offer full-day camps for youth ages 5–12 and half-day teen camps for youth ages 13–16. Our camps strengthen your child’s art education through exploration and structured hands-on projects that help build confidence in their own creativity.
Camp programs are for all experience levels, introduce art techniques, and allow for exploring art-making and creative problem-solving. They are taught by the Creative Workshop’s team of teaching artists and teaching assistants who lead the camps in high-quality art projects, demonstrations, and gallery visits to see original works of art in MAG’s collection and exhibitions.
Registration is required prior to the start of camp and payment in full is required at the time of registration. Enrollment is limited; early registration is highly recommended.
- 2026 Camp Dates
- Minis (Ages 5–7)
- Juniors (Ages 7–9)
- Seniors (Ages 10–12)
- Teens (Ages 13–17)
- Daily Schedule
- FAQs
2026 Camp Dates
2026 February Break Camp Registration begins Monday, December 8, for MAG Members and Monday, December 15, for Not-Yet-Members.
2026 Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, December 29, for MAG Members and Monday, January 5, for Not-Yet Members.
- February Break Camp: IMPRESSive Art (February 16–20)
- Summer Camp Week 1: All the World’s a Stage (July 6–10)
- Summer Camp Week 2: Color Explosion (July 13–17)
- Summer Camp Week 3: Art a la Carte (July 20–24)
- Summer Camp Week 4: Opposite Week (July 27–31)
- Summer Camp Week 5: The Great ARTdoors (August 3–7)
- Summer Camp Week 6: Art Carnival (August 10–14)
- Summer Camp Week 7: Art Through the Eras (August 17–21)
The Creative Workshop will not be hosting April Break Week Camp in 2026.
Minis (Ages 5–7 / Grades K–1)
Through hands-on artmaking, Minis explore drawing, painting, and other mixed media based on the week’s theme. In addition to artmaking projects, campers experience visits to the museum’s galleries and sculpture park, as well as games, songs, and scavenger hunts. Mini campers have multiple breaks during the day to play with outdoor recreation time and indoor “cozy corner” play stations set up for them to take regular breaks as needed. Our staff-to-camper ratio is intentionally low for this age group, which allows for lots of individual attention and care.
Please note: Campers should already be attending Kindergarten or First Grade to participate in February break camps and be entering Kindergarten (with some full-day nursery or UPK experience) or have completed Kindergarten and be entering First Grade to participate in summer camps.
Juniors (Ages 7–9 / Grades 2–4)
Juniors explore drawing, painting, ceramics, and other mixed media based on the week’s theme through hands-on artmaking.
All Junior campers experience a blend of Art Day Camp and Clay Camp programs—for an “Art & Clay” camp experience. Each Junior group spends either the morning or afternoon exploring the fundamentals of ceramics, from slab to pinch and coil building, and then the other half of the day working on drawing, painting, or other artmaking projects.
In addition, campers experience visits to the museum’s galleries and sculpture park, as well as games, songs, and scavenger hunts. Junior campers have multiple breaks during the day to play with outdoor recreation time and indoor “cozy corner” play stations set up for them to take regular breaks as needed. Our staff-to-camper ratio is intentionally low for this age group, which allows for lots of individual attention and care.
Seniors (Ages 10–12 / Grades 5–7)
All Senior campers experience a blend of Art Day Camp and Clay Camp programs—for an “Art & Clay” camp experience. Each Senior group spends either the morning or afternoon exploring the fundamentals of ceramics, from slab to pinch and coil building, as well as at least one experience on the potter’s wheel, and then the other half of the day working on drawing, painting, or other artmaking projects.
In addition, all campers experience visits to the museum’s galleries and sculpture park, as well as games, songs, and scavenger hunts. Senior campers have multiple breaks during the day.
Teens (Ages 13–17 / Grades 8–11)
Teen campers can enroll in a variety of half-day programs offered throughout the camp season. Options include jewelry making, multimedia work, fiber arts programs, and portfolio-building sessions.
Daily Schedule
Monday–Thursday
8:30–9:30 am: Camper drop-off
9:00–10:15 am: Artmaking
10:15 am: Morning snack
10:30 am–12:00 pm: Artmaking
12:00–12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30–1:00 pm: Recreation time
1:00–2:00 pm: Artmaking
2:30 pm: Afternoon snack
2:45–4:00 pm: Artmaking
4:00–4:30 pm: Camper pick-up
4:30–5:30 pm: Aftercare (available for a fee)
Friday
8:30–9:30 am: Camper drop-off
9:00–10:15 am: Artmaking
10:15 am: Morning snack
10:30 am–12:00 pm: Artmaking
12:00–12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30–2:30 pm: Extended recreation time
2:30–4:00 pm: Art show preparation
3:30–4:30 pm: Camp art show for families
4:00–4:30 pm: All campers depart by 4:30 pm
Frequently Asked Questions About Camps
How do I register for camps?
Browse the camps available on our Camps listing, and then register online by clicking the registration links.
Registration information questions must be completed for each camper registration. Payment in full is required at the time of registration.
When registering online, MAG Members must be SIGNED IN (upper right-hand corner of the screen) in order for discount to automatically apply!
How are camps divided?
Camp programs are divided into four age groupings:
- MINI: Ages 5–6
- JUNIOR: Ages 7–9
- SENIOR: Ages 10–12
- TEENS: Ages 13–16
Mini, Junior, and Senior age groups each have two different classrooms. If you would like your camper to be in the same classroom as a friend or sibling, they must be in the same age group, and you must request that they be placed in the same classroom via the registration form.
Can I sign up my child for just the morning or afternoon? Or for a single day?
No. All camps (now including Break Weeks) in the Creative Workshop are full day, week-long camps.
When does the day begin and end?
Instruction begins at 9:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm, but you may drop off your child as early as 8:30 am and pick up as late as 4:30 pm.
After-care is available for pick-up between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Please select this option when you register for camp. There is an additional fee.
What do campers do during the day?
Our curriculum emphasizes artistic skill-building (especially drawing, painting, and sculpture) through creative projects. Instructors plan flexible lessons, give thorough demonstrations, and work individually with students to help them realize their own artistic strengths. Children make confident, exciting and increasingly ambitious art projects. Check out this 2021 article in 585 Kids magazine for a sense of how and why our Camps encourage building drawing and painting skills while encouraging creativity.
Do you provide lunch or snacks?
No. Campers must bring a lunch, two snacks (to eat during breaks if they want) and a drink (in a non-glass container, please) from home. We recommend that snacks be packed separately from lunches so your child is not tempted to eat lunch at snack time. No refrigeration or silverware is provided.
Labeling your camper’s lunch and leak-proof beverage container helps us avoid confusion and helps your camper locate their meal. NOTE ON FOOD: To minimize allergy risks, we ask that you avoid sending foods containing nuts or nut products.
Do campers get breaks?
Yes! Twice a day (morning and afternoon), campers get breaks to walk, stretch, relax and enjoy a snack brought from home. During the supervised recreation break, children may choose to relax and read or draw or be actively involved in games or other physical activities (indoor or outdoor, depending on the weather).
How do your camps use the museum?
We bring campers into the museum or onto the MAG grounds to explore the Sculpture Park at least once a week, often more. Using strategies designed to teach kids to look more carefully, our instructors help them learn to make creative decisions based on other artists’ work and realize some of the many things we all have in common.
What should my camper bring or wear?
We are an active art-studio, so NO OPEN-TOE SHOES are allowed (no flip flops or jelly shoes, please). During the mid-day recreation break you camper may be outside (weather dependent) and during that time campers are permitted to read books, use tablets or phones to play games. (The CW is not responsible for lost or broken items brought in from home).
It is recommended that campers in all camps, especially Clay Camps, wear clothing that can get messy—the clay we use is red earthenware which can stain clothing. Closed toe shoes are required in the clay studio.
Do you have a Lost & Found?
A Lost and Found is kept in the Creative Workshop office. Please email creativeworkshop@mag.rochester.edu or call 585.276.8959 if you need assistance in finding a lost item and/or to arrange the pickup. All items must be picked up before September 1, otherwise they will be discarded.
Do you offer scholarships or financial aid?
The Creative Workshop has long strived to offer our classes at the lowest rates possible. If the price of a class is keeping you from considering it, please don’t hesitate to inquire about a need-based scholarship. Each year, we offer scholarships to numerous students (adults and youth) through the support of many generous endowment funds.
You may apply for a scholarship using our online form.
Will I receive a registration confirmation?
Online registrations automatically generate an email acknowledgment. If you did not receive this confirmation or need another copy, please contact us at creativeworkshop@mag.rochester.edu.
For your convenience and tax purposes, MAG’s Tax ID # is listed on your email confirmation.
Who teaches the camps?
Camps are taught by the Creative Workshop’s team of teaching-artists and teaching assistants who lead the camps in high-quality art projects, demonstrations and visits to the galleries to see original works of art in the MAG collection and exhibitions. Explore Faculty Bios to meet some of our teachers!
Who do I contact for more information?
The Creative Workshop can be reached at: 585.276.8959 or at creativeworkshop@mag.rochester.edu.