Scholarships remove barriers to summer art-making experiences

Bright red and green yarn is in the foreground with baskets and cups of colorful art supplies like pencils, paper and glue sit behind it. A kid in a gray shirt is turned away, working in the background surrounded by multimedia.

Photo: Taylor Washington

Across the board — artist talks, exhibitions, performances, gallery tours, family festivals — admission to most programs and all exhibitions at Oklahoma Contemporary is free. The arts center removes cost as a barrier and creates accessibility for art lovers and the art curious, young and old alike. Youth education is no different.

“One in seven children in our camps will have a scholarship this year, and that’s amazing,” says Jamie Thompson, director of Education and Public Programs. “And they’re really easy to get! You go onto our website, scroll to the bottom of the page — there’s a button. You fill that application out – we try to ask as few invasive questions as possible. We trust that folks who apply for this scholarship need this scholarship — we are not asking for justification.”

And there’s still plenty of room to apply for the kids in your life to attend Camp Contemporary: Summer Session — 76 scholarship spots remain.

Initiatives like Google’s Art+Tech and support from individual donors helps Oklahoma Contemporary offer scholarships to kiddos searching for creative direction and an artistic outlet.

“I come from an impoverished background,” Thompson says. “The arts, having free access to the arts, is important. I wouldn’t be where I am if I didn’t have those points of access.”

We see the back of a young girl's head. Her brown hair is in a ponytail and she is wearing a lilac colored shirt. She holds colorful streams above her head. In front of her is someone with bright pink hair wearing a purple t shirt that says STAFF.

Photo: Taylor Washington

Creating space for the imaginations of young people to flourish exemplifies our mission. Our much-beloved school-break camps support critical thinking, experimentation, communication, collaboration and curiosity. Scholarships ensure that the art adventures Camp Contemporary makes possible are available to youth from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

“We would not have been able to make this amazing experience happen for our kiddos if it wasn’t for the scholarship program,” a camper parent said recently. “[The kids] are SO excited and are looking forward to camp!”

Know an artistic kiddo in need of a summer project or creative guidance? Submit an application or send it to someone who may benefit — seize this wonderful opportunity for the creative youth in your life.

Camp Contemporary: Summer Session (for kids ages 5 to 12) runs at our new, downtown location May 23-Aug. 5. Registration for each camp closes the week before it begins, though many camps are already sold out. The camp scholarship form identifies which camps available for each age group during which week.

Images:

Spring 2021 Camp Contemporary. Photo: Stephanie Montelongo.

Summer 2021 Camp Contemporary. Photo: Taylor Washington.

Summer 2021 Camp Contemporary. Photo: Taylor Washington.

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