If the kids run out of things to do over the school break, summer arts camps can keep their minds occupied and their creativity engaged.

The Branch Out Summer Arts program at Imperial Calcasieu Museum will have mini-sessions focusing on painting June 17-21 and printmaking June 24-28. These sessions are open to students who have completed the third grade up to students currently in the eighth grade and will take place from 1-3:30 p.m. daily.

“The mini-session is very focused. In their first week they’ll be painting and exploring different forms of painting including mediums such as watercolor and acrylic and will be using different methods of painting to try to emulate the style of Matisse. In the second session the kids will focus on printmaking, stamp and stencil making and using those mediums the way that Matisse did,” Devin Morgan, Exhibit Coordinator for the Imperial Calcasieu Museum said.

Three additional sessions focusing on drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and other techniques will be held July 8-12, 15-19 and 22-26 and will be open to kids who have completed kindergarten up to children currently in the eighth grade.

“In our regular sessions kids will be doing a variety of things depending on their age group including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and collage making. It’s a different project every day, and every Friday we’ll have an open house for each child’s family to come see the works of art they’ve created,” Morgan said.

Tuition for Branch Out Summer Arts will be $55 for members of the museum and $70 for non-members. Registration forms can be found online at www.imperialcalcasieumuseum.org.

The Children’s Theatre Company will hold four sessions during its annual Summer Starz Series with programs designed to introduce newcomers to the world of theatre.

“Our purpose is to give Southwest Louisiana’s young people the opportunity to train in the arts, to learn a specific art form, and to develop the creativity, discipline, critical-thinking and other skills necessary to be successful,” Kerry Onxley, Artistic Director for Children’s Theatre Company said.

Sessions will begin for children ages 5-8 with the Wild Things program, which introduces children to theatre and includes activities such as stage makeup, creative movement and theatre games. This session will be held at 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m. July 8-10, for $65 per child.

The Acting for the Camera program designed for children ages 8-18 will be held from noon-1:30 p.m. July 8-10 and will be $85 per a child. The workshop will cover auditioning techniques for commercials, script reading tips, beginning improvisational skills and informational sessions on resumes, headshots and finding representation.

Young Shakespeare fans will get a chance to experience the Bard during Midsummer Fun July 22-26 with sessions to be held for children 5-8 from 10-11:15 a.m. and for children 9-18 years old to be held from 10 a.m.-noon. Students involved will perform excerpts from some of Shakespeare’s most popular plays and will get experience in the technical side of theatre with lessons on lighting, set design and costume creation. Tuition will be $85 per a student.

The skills needed to make it on Broadway will be the focus of Kids in Showbiz to be held for children 5-8 years old from 10-11:15 a.m. and for children ages 9-18 from 10 a.m.-noon July 29-Aug. 2, for $85 per child. Kids in this session will learn musical theatre techniques such as acting, singing and dancing and will be featured in a performance demonstration highlighting the skills they’ve learned.

Information on registration for these camps can be found online at www.childrenstheatre.cc or by phone at 433-7323.

(American Press Archives)