Rapid City Arts Council Unveils “The Summer of Stories” at the Dahl Arts Center

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2024
Rapid City Arts Council Unveils “The Summer of Stories” at the Dahl Arts Center

RAPID CITY, SD – Today, the Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) announced programming for the “The Summer of Stories.” The Summer of Stories is RCAC’s lineup of summer art camps aimed at educating youth entering grades 1 through 6 in the skills of creativity. Camps will run from June 3 to August 8, 2024, 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 22 camps provide enrichment in a positive environment where children can learn, play and grow through storytelling. From character creation and narrative development to the physical art of bookmaking, campers will practice imagination and guided discovery through arts lessons. 

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 make their own stories and bring them to life, using their own life experiences to explore how stories are made, from creating characters, drawing their stories, to the art of bookbinding. 

Lessons are led by skilled instructors and teaching artists. Each camp includes tours and activities in 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. Summer camps take place Monday - Thursday from 9am to 3pm. 

Melissa Nelson, education director for the RCAC said, “We aim to create a fun, safe, and enriching summer for Rapid City youth. We are excited to provide a variety of affordable, positive arts camps programs for children from all over the city.”

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: [email protected]. 

For more information like seeing the list of camps and registering, visit rapidcityartscouncil.org/summercamps.

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For More Information:
Maggie Jean Wince
Rapid City Arts Council
605.394.4101 x5
[email protected]

The purpose of the Rapid City Arts Council (RCAC) is to champion the power of art to bring all kinds of people together, making art more accessible, more integral and more inspiring for the communities we serve.​ RCAC was established by community leaders in 1968 and officially partnered with the city in 1974 to manage the Dahl Arts Center and expand arts and cultural resources. RCAC creates and supports diverse programming in exhibitions, performances, and educational classes. Supported by individual donors and organizations such as the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, John T. Vucurevich Foundation, the South Dakota Arts Council through the South Dakota Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts, and others, RCAC is committed to enriching the community's artistic and cultural experiences. Located at 713 7th St in Downtown Rapid City, the center offers free admission and is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. Discover more at rapidcityartscouncil.org.​