Game On! Let's Create Together!
Get ready to travel through time and space to explore hands-on art projects that educate and entertain students in grades K-5. Camps run for four days at a time from the first week of June through the first week of August, offering a wide range of activities to engage 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 24 camps provide a creative outlet in a positive environment where children can create, play, and grow. 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 bring home art and lifelong memories from projects like Prehistoric Cave Drawings, Pop Art Time Capsules, Character Marionettes, Bouncing Ball Flipbook, and Animal Sound Sculptures.

Most summer camps take place Monday-Thursday from 9am to 3pm, with lessons led by certified art teachers. The Clay Camps will run on Fridays and Saturdays throughout June and July, offering focused exploration of handbuilding and ceramic techniques. Every camp includes a tour of 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. Students should bring a sack lunch, a water bottle, and be dressed ready to get creative and a little messy. ​

Opening Doors for Everyone to Express Their Creativity

Available year-round for all art classes to make arts opportunities available to people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Thanks to the generous support of our members and donors, scholarships are available to program participants based on financial need.

CAMP FAQ

Contact information
The Dahl Arts Center 
713 7th Street 
Rapid City, SD 57701 
605.392.4101 x3
[email protected]
LOCATION INFORMATION
All summer programming takes place in the RCAC Education Department, use the Kansas City St. entrance of the Dahl Arts Center for drop-off + pick-up. ​
WHAT TO WEAR/BRING
WHAT TO WEAR
  • Clothes that can get messy with paint, clay, glue, etc. 
 
WHAT TO BRING 
  • Refillable water bottle.
  • A cold/sack lunch.  
  • Your creativity!
 
WHAT NOT TO BRING 
  • Electronics (smart phones, smart-watches, tablets, etc.) 
  • Toys or special belongings from home 
*The Dahl Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
PICK-UP/DROP OFF PROCEDURES
All drop-offs and pick-ups will occur at the Kansas City Street entrance.
DROP-OFF ​
  • On the first day of camp, parents/guardians must check-in with a RCAC staff member at the education desk and fill out any necessary paperwork.
  • Parents/guardians will use the iPad to sign-in/out student. 
PICK-UP
  • RCAC staff may request to check a valid ID of all adults that come to pick up students and confirm the adult is listed on the authorized pick-up list. This list can be changed in your Sawyer Account from our website thedahl.org.  
HEALTH & SAFETY
​Injury 
If your child becomes injured, proper first aid will be administered and an accident report will be completed by a staff member. Parents/Guardians will be promptly notified as soon as the child’s immediate needs have been taken care of. In an emergency, staff will immediately call 911 and contact the parent/guardian or emergency contacts provided on the registration paperwork. 
​
Health 
If you, your child, or anyone in your family unit are feeling unwell or have come in contact with any confirmed COVID-19 positive cases, we ask that you please do not bring your child to participate in the camp. If anything pertaining to the prior statement changes during the camp week, we ask that you promptly notify us at the Education Department. If your child becomes ill while at camp (persistent cough, fever, etc.) we will promptly call the listed emergency contacts to have the child picked up.

Masks
Wearing of masks welcome at the personal discretion of students and guardians.
BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS
The RCAC Education Department is dedicated to providing a creative learning environment that is rooted in respect, collaboration, and creativity. We strive to make the art classroom a place where students feel seen, heard, and valued, so that they may freely and authentically express themselves and connect with others through the arts. 
​
We expect our students to: 
  • Interact and engage with others (both staff and other students) with kindness and respect.
  • Use language that is both appropriate and respectful. 
  • Respect and treat with care all aspects of the Education Department, including classrooms, bathrooms, common areas, supplies, equipment, and materials. 
​
Behavior Policy 
The Rapid City Arts Council strives to ensure the safety of our staff and of every student who enters our facility. In extreme instances, if a student is unable to participate in a way that keeps everyone safe (physically and emotionally) the student may be removed from the camp. Any kind of violence, aggression, or explicit language will not be tolerated. If a child’s behavior becomes problematic, staff will appropriately document the behavior in writing. Appropriate action will be determined by the staff, and if necessary, the parent/guardian will be contacted. Before removal, staff will always engage in positive and healthy conflict resolution strategies including problem solving and redirection with patience and respect.
CANCELLATION POLICY
  • If classes are canceled by the Rapid City Arts Council, due to Covid-19 or otherwise, you will be refunded 100%.
  • Classes are filled on a first-paid, first-served basis. Registration is not in effect until the first payment is received. 
  • To transfer your enrollment, call 605-394-4101 x3 and/or email [email protected] two weeks prior to the start of camp. 
  • Class Cancellations requested two weeks or more before the class start date receive a 50% refund, cancellations within the two weeks prior are non-refundable. ​

2026 Summer Camps

Thank you for a FANTASTIC 2025 Summer Adventure!
100 Pounds of Air Dry Clay Shaped, 63 Aprons Worn, & 1052 Snacks Consumed.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE RAPID CITY ARTS COUNCIL

The Rapid City Arts Council staff and Board of Directors thanks the City of Rapid City for continuously supporting our mission and the arts. The generosity of our many volunteers, donors, and members drives our mission to champion inclusive, innovative and inspiring arts opportunities to enrich the communities we serve.  Additional support comes from the South Dakota Community Foundation, Black Hills Area Community Foundation, and the South Dakota Arts Council with funds from the State of South Dakota through the Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Dahl Arts Center is a municipal facility of the City of Rapid City and is managed by the Rapid City Arts Council on behalf of the Rapid City community.
  •