• GCS Fine Arts Department is excited to announce the 2023 season of Summer Arts Institute (SAI). Below you will find more information about our camp offerings as well as offerings in partnership with the Community Theatre of Greensboro, Moore Music, Notes for Notes, High Point Arts Council and more!

    We expect to add additional camps as we move closer to the summer months. Please come back regularly to see what offerings will be available.

  • Below you will find a listing of Summer Camps offered by Guilford County Schools and the Fine Arts Department, as well as Camps in Partnership with local Arts Organizations.

    FAQs:

    • How do I register for partner camps?
      • Click on the Registration Link for each partner camp listed below.
    • How do I register for GCS camps?
      • Click on the registration link below.
    • Where can I find full descriptions of each camp?
      • Click on the "More Info" links for partner camps.
    • How do I pay for my camp?
      • GCS Camps fees can be mailed to:

    GCS Fine Arts Department

    501 W. Washington Street

    Greensboro, NC 27401 

      • Make checks payable to GCS Fine Arts Department. Besure to list name of camper and camp in the memo or include in the mailing.

    GCS Camps are listed below - Register here.

    Notes for Notes Music Camps 

      • Intro to Music Making: This camp is for rising grades 8th -12th and is June 20-22. Cap is 12 students. This camp provides youth who are new to creating original music an opportunity to work through the entire process from start to finish in a group setting. Youth will go from brainstorming to production to lyricism to recording to release. Beginner level experience in creating original music.
      • Advanced Music Making: This camp is for rising grades 8th -12th and is 2 weeks on June 26-29 and July 10-13. Cap is 12 youth. This workshop will allow youth who have some experience making original music and want an opportunity to create projects in a professional setting under the guidance of experienced producers. This will be less of a guided camp and more of an open mentorship environment. Moderate to Expert level experience in creating original music.
      • Industry Standards Camp:  This camp is for rising grades 8th -12th and is July 24-27. Cap is 10 youth. This camp will focus on allowing youth the chance to collaborate with and record students from another camp. We will act as the engineers and producers for other students, which will provide industry experience in the way of aiding in creating music with and for other artists. Beginner to Expert level engineering/production experience.

    GCS Summer Arts Institute 

      • Elementary Arts Exploration, June 26 - 29 OR July 17 - 20, 9-1pm
        • CAMP DESCRIPTION: 

          Students entering grades 2- 4th will explore aspects of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts by rotating through all four art forms each day. Below you will find more descriptions of what each area will cover. Cap is 80 students.
          • Dance will focus on Creative Movement through shapes or animals, Exploring Elements of Dance (body, energy, space, time), and Choreography that tells a story.
          • Music will introduce students to World Drumming Instruments including tubanos, shekeres, and the gankogui.  Focus will be on teamwork, basic technique and creativity in a drum circle.
          • Theatre in Elem will include learning basic theatrical skills in pantomime, stage movement and voice.
          • Visual Arts will focus on shadow bookmaking, debossed foil and oil paper collages, and Surrealist glue prints.
    •  
      • Arts Immersion,  July 10 - 13 OR July 24 - 27, 9-1pm  
        • CAMP DESCRIPTION:

    Students entering grades 5-8th will choose a focus area in either Dance, Music, Theatre or Visual Arts. Below you will find more information about what each art form covers. Cap is 20 students per major.

          • Dance - will focus on practicing technique, learning choreography, and creating a group dance in one of the following styles: Jazz, Contemporary, or Hip Hop.
          • Music - will learn basic ukulele strumming and chords to play simple songs as well as an introduction to drumming – both with traditional drum sticks and with World drums and auxiliary percussion instruments.
          • Theatre - campers who choose theatre as their major in Arts Immersion will create scenes from plays, write their own scenes and work on voice work and stage movement. We will also work on ensemble building techniques.
          • Visual Art - campers who choose Visual Art as their major in Art Immersion will create a clay coil bowl for their main project as well as learn pencil drawing/watercolor techniques.
      • Modern Music Camp for Elementary, June 26-29, 9-1pm
        • CAMP DESCRIPTION:

    Students entering grades 4th and 5th will learn to play popular music using acoustic/electric guitars, basses, drums, and electric keyboards as well as singing. Students will be playing music together while learning to hear chord changes, sing/play melodies, feel the pulse, and improvise on their instruments. Cap is 15 students.

      • Beginning and Intermediate Piano - July 10 - 13 
        • CAMP DESCRIPTION:

    Students have the opportunity to begin their study on electric keyboard (Piano). There will be opportunities to listen to great performances and learn about music theory and history as it pertains to the piano. This particular camp is great for jump-starting students into private lessons. Piano students will receive instruction on electric pianos at a pop-up lab located at Lincoln Academy. Students with no experience should register for the morning session. Students with some experience should register for the afternoon session. This is for students entering 4th -7th grade.

          • Beginning Piano - 8-12pm - no experience needed
          • Intermediate Piano - 1-5pm - some experience required
    •  
      • Beginning and Intermediate Guitar - July 17 - 20 
        • CAMP DESCRIPTION:

    Students have the opportunity to begin their study on acoustic guitars. There will be opportunities to listen to great performances and learn about music theory and history as it pertains to the guitar. This particular camp is great for jump-starting students into private lessons.  Guitars are not required, but are encouraged for students to bring during camp. Students with no experience should register for the morning session. Students with some experience should register for the afternoon session. This is for students entering 4th -7th grade.

          • Beginning Guitar - 8-12pm - no experience needed
          • Intermediate Guitar- 1-5pm - some experience required
      • Musical Theatre Summer Intensive 
        • CAMP DESCRIPTION:

    Musical Theatre Summer Intensive with Performance

    This camp offers summer theatre experience for rising 7th through 12th grade GCS students during the summer sessions GCS offers. Students would audition to be in a musical theatre production during the summer. Over the 5 weeks, students will prepare, learn, and apply skills in the context of the musical production. 
     

    June (June 20 – 29)- Start production with music and theatre rehearsals.

    July (10-13)- Music rehearsals, theatre rehearsals, combined rehearsals, and Choreography rehearsals.

    July (17-20)- Final Run throughs, refine music and dance scenes.

    July (24-27)- Dress rehearsals and technical rehearsals.

    Cap: 50 students

    Location: Northwest High School Auditorium

    Cost: $250 for entire summer intensive. No scholarships available.

     

    Partner Camps are listed below.

    Moore Music Camps - Registration Link

      • Honors Jazz - 2 Week Camp
      • Reboot Orchestra - 2 Week Camp
      • Reboot Band - 2 Week Camp
      • Rock Band - 2 Week Camp
      • Jump Ahead Band
      • Jump Ahead Orchestra
      • Drumline

    Community Theatre of Greensboro - Registration Link

    Greensboro Youth Chorus Camps - Registration Link

      • 1st - 6th grade camp
      • 7th - 12th grade camp

    High Point Arts Council -  Registration Link 

        • More Info - coming soon
      • John Coltrane Jazz Camp

    ELEV8 - Registration Link

        • More Info - coming soon
      • July 10 - 13th - Elementary Age modern arts portfolio building
      • July 24 - 27 - Middle and High School Age modern arts portfolio building

     

  • Summer Arts Institute (SAI) Inquiries 

    Email - sai@gcsnc.com  

    Email registrations and inquiries are checked twice weekly. On Tuesdays and Fridays each week.