Our March Break and Summer Arts Explosion Camps are a fun-filled, pressure-free exploration of the arts. Renowned local and national artists encourage children from 4-13 in all art forms.
General Camp Information
Drop-off & Pick-Up at the River Run Center
Regularly scheduled camp activities occur between 9:30 am and 3:30 pm. As a courtesy, we offer complimentary before camp care from 8:30-9:30 am and after camp care from 3:30-4:30 pm.
After Camp Care
Extra post-camp care is offered from 4:30 – 5:30 pm at a cost of $35 for the whole week (Monday-Thursday). Use the Registration and Payment page to register and pay for aftercare.
What to Bring to Camp
Please ensure your child brings the following items to camp each day:
- A nut-free lunch & two nut-free snacks
- A labelled water bottle
- Loose-fitting clothing that allows for freedom of movement and possible paint stains
- Weather-appropriate clothing: part of lunch hour will be spent outside, so children may get muddy, snowy or wet – and anything in between.
Camper Readiness Guidelines
Often the best way to determine if your child is ready for camp is to have a conversation with them. You can talk about the following things, as well as what to expect at camp. Some of the things they should feel comfortable with for a successful camp experience include:
- being comfortable taking direction and following direction from staff
- staying with their group
- being comfortable in both large and smaller groups of children they may not know and being able to get along with them
- understand the importance of snacks, lunch and water and be able to manage them on their own with supervision of a camp counselor
- being able to dress themselves, knowing and asking when to use the washroom
- be able to apply sunscreen or be able to ask a counselor for help
- be able to keep track of their belongings with the help of counselors
We hope to make make camp a positive experience for all children and will work with you to help your child transition to camp. Please share any concerns you may have so that we can help your child thrive at camp. If we have exhausted all means to ensure their success at camp, we reserve the right to refund the remaining fee and ask that they return in another session when they are more prepared for a camp experience.
Subsidies
Guelph Dance offers subsidized spaces on a first-come-first served basis. Campers will only be subsidized for one camp each year, either March Break or Summer Camp. If you are interested in a subsidy for March please see our Subsidy page for more information. The deadline for March subsidies is January 15th and for Summer Camp subsidies is May 15th.
The Monica Davis Camp Scholarship Fund
The Monica Davis Camp Scholarship Fund continues the legacy of this inspirational woman, encouraging young people to be creative in all facets of their lives. The Fund was established in 2009 to offer young people, who may not otherwise have the resources, an opportunity to attend Guelph Dance’s Arts Explosion Camps at a subsidized rate.
Monica Davis (1931-2009) was a passionate and caring woman who saw the true value of the arts in our community. She was an active volunteer with the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival for many years and avidly supported various other charities with both cultural and child poverty mandates. She was a mother, a grandmother and a wonderful role-model who never gave up on making the world a tiny bit better.
Click here to make a donation to the Monica Davis Camp Scholarship Fund.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
In the event of illness or other unforeseen circumstances, any changes to and/or cancellation of your child’s registration must be done in writing no later than three weeks prior to the start of camp in order to receive a full refund less an administration fee of $50. Refunds requested with less than 3 weeks before the first day of camp will be subject to a $150 administration fee or you can transfer your child’s registration to another camp session. If your child becomes ill before camp starts and is unable to attend, the administration fee of $150 will be waived with a doctor’s note. Once camp has started, days missed for any reason cannot be refunded or made up.