On Saturday, April 16th we participated in the Old Oakland Celebrates Youth + Creativity Block Party presented by Civic Design Studio, E14 Gallery, and Good Good Eatz! We made tote bags and buttons with the community and promoted our upcoming summer camps. We also joined OUSD High Schools in the OUSD Student Art Showcase and presented work from our Franklin, Emerson, and Carl Munck Elementary Residencies. Check out pictures from the event below!
Author: Rachel Holmstrom
Volunteer Counselors play a vital role in the success of Junior Center Summer Day Camp. They lead activities, help their campers with their projects, and ensure that each camper feels safe and integrated within his/her group as well as the larger camp experience.
- Be a positive role model
- Provide leadership, guidance and support to your group of approximately 10 campers throughout the day and week
- Assist your campers with their projects, art activities, games,and outdoor play.
- Participate in other camp activities, including morning meeting, two daily snacks, and lunch as well as set up and clean up of project spaces.
- Team up with other CIT’s and staff to help create a fantastic experience for all
- Attend one day of mandatory training (dates TBD, 2022)
Unfortunately our wonderful Center at the Lake has suffered another fire. Don’t worry though, we are still on track to continue with our Spring programming at Lotus Bloom Preschool and Summer Camps at the Rotary Nature Center, right next door to our Center! The past two years have definitely been difficult, but we are remaining optimistic for the future and are continuously encouraged by the support of our community.
At the Junior Center, we are working hard to implement best practices to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff. We are following guidelines put forth by the Alameda County Public Health Department, the City of Oakland, the State of California, the Center for Disease Control, the federal government, and the World Health Organization.
If an individual has had prolonged contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, they must quarantine for 5 days from known contact. On the fifth day, they must test negative and be asymptomatic before returning to the classroom.
If an individual tests positive, they must quarantine for 7 days. On the 7th day they must test negative and remain asymptomatic before returning to the classroom.
If an individual is experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 they must quarantine for 5 days from beginning of symptoms. On the fifth day, they must test negative and be asymptomatic before returning to the classroom.
If you have any questions or concerns about our policies, feel free to reach out at contact@eastbaycreativelab.org
Thank for your cooperation in keeping our community healthy and safe.
We had such a blast at the last Oakland Celebrates Event, that we are doing it again!
We will be doing art activities for families in the courtyard of Swan’s Market. Stop by, say hi, make some cool art, and check out the other fabulous vendors!
Our first weeks of Camp JCAS have been an absolute blast, filled with high-energy creating and discovery along the shores of Lake Merritt. Our younger makers have been diving deep into imaginative storytelling by crafting intricate, hand-made dioramas, while our older tech-creatives are exploring new dimensions in virtual world-building. Down in the woodshop, the tools are humming as our carpentry class gets fully going, giving kids hands-on experience building their own functional wood projects.
But don’t take our word for it—we’ve been chatting with our community, and you can check out several videos across our social media featuring some of our campers talking about exactly what they love most about JCAS summer camp!
Secure Your Spot: Remaining Camp Slots Available
While many of our summer sessions are completely packed, we still have a few remaining slots open in some of our most exciting upcoming weeks. If you haven’t secured your child’s spot for a summer of hands-on art and science exploration, now is the time to register before these last openings fill up!
Here are the sessions with limited space available:
- TOY MAKERS ONE WEEK CAMP
- Dates: July 6–10
PDF - Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
PDF - Ages: 8–10
PDF - What it is: A chance for kids to become inventors, designing and building their very own custom toys and contraptions.
- Dates: July 6–10
- FASHION LAB: DESIGN YOUR AESTHETIC ONE WEEK CAMP
- Dates: July 20–24
- Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Ages: 12–17
- What it is: A creative studio space for teens to explore textile arts, garment customization, and personal style expression.
- STUDIO ART ONE WEEK CAMP
- Dates: July 27–31
PDF - Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
PDF - Ages: 13–17
PDF - What it is: An immersive fine arts experience for teens looking to sharpen their skills in traditional and contemporary mediums.
PDF
- Dates: July 27–31
Whether your child is a budding scientist, an aspiring woodworker, or a multimedia artist, there is a place of belonging and inspiration waiting for them here at the lake.
👉Head over to our Camp Registration Page to claim your spot today!
Ask a Camper
Curious what real JCAS campers love about our classes? Check out these videos to get the real word.
Last Friday night was a busy one at the Junior’s Center, with a large crowd on hand for the highly anticipated opening reception of our newest exhibition, Wham! Bam! Queer! Curated by Marco Garcia, the gallery space has been beautifully transformed into a vibrant, immersive showcase of local artistic talent. We want to extend a massive, heartfelt thank you to everyone from across the East Bay who came out to celebrate with us, as well as the participating artists whose powerful work brought the gallery to life.
The overarching theme of the exhibition centers on celebrating powerful portrayals of queer identities, historical resilience, and local community livelihood. It was incredibly moving to see families, neighbors, and creators gather together along the shores of Lake Merritt to honor these vital stories and artistic expressions. If you weren’t able to make it to the opening party, don’t worry—the celebration of queer identity and history continues all summer long. Our doors are open, and we invite you to step into the gallery to experience this incredible collection firsthand and support the next generation of creators.
Mark Your Calendars: Zine Fair Coming July 11th!
The celebration doesn’t stop with the gallery walls! We have even more incredible community events on the horizon to keep the momentum going. We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we will be hosting our upcoming Zine Fair on Saturday, July 11th, right here at the Center.
It’s going to be a fantastic day dedicated to independent publishing, creative exchange, and grassroots community connection. Whether you’re a lifelong zine collector, a curious creator, or a neighbor looking to support local artists, it’s the perfect opportunity to experience the unique, inclusive intersection of art and community that makes the Junior Center so special.
Gather your friends, mark your calendars, and come make some memories with us at the lake this July!
Artist Spotlights
To give you a deeper look into the creative minds driving this incredible exhibition, we are thrilled to introduce three new videos featuring our brilliant resident artists: Marco Garcia, Zoey Grey, and Cecily Morales. In these short spotlights, each artist shares an intimate look into their studio practice, the personal inspiration behind their pieces, and what it means to showcase their work right here at the Center. From exploring chosen family and history to experimenting with vibrant multimedia, their stories offer a beautiful window into the diverse talent thriving in the East Bay. It’s a fantastic way to connect with the creators who make our community space so unique.
Every time a child steps into the Junior Center of Art and Science for a workshop or a day of summer camp, they are met by artists, teachers, and volunteers who are genuinely excited to share the joy of hands-on creation. In a world increasingly dominated by screens, this physical space for real-world exploration has never been more vital.
The Challenge: Screens vs. Real-World Creating
Every day, we see young people struggling with the effects of heavy social media exposure and screen addiction. It takes a toll on their ability to focus as they passively consume content online, which directly impacts their creativity and critical thinking. But when kids are at the Junior Center, they have the unique opportunity to use their minds and hands to make things in real life. They learn science and the arts by doing—in ways that standard school environments or purely digital programs simply cannot duplicate.
Keeping Art and Science Accessible to All
Each year, more than 6,000 students from across the East Bay join us to create art and explore science along Lake Merritt. Inclusion is at the heart of our mission: 71% of our students receive financial assistance from the Junior Center. No matter a family’s budget, every single child is welcomed into our community.
We all know how much the cost of living has escalated recently. As local families stretch their budgets just to cover basic needs, extra money for museum visits or enrichment activities is often the first thing to go. At the same time, schools and local arts organizations continue to be hit hard by steep funding cuts.
Despite these challenges, the Junior Center is keeping its steadfast commitment to offer our community programs at low or no cost. Now more than ever, we need your help to ensure that East Bay families navigating these rising costs can still afford to send their kids to JCAS for field trips, after-school classes, and summer camp.
The Junior Center is a sanctuary where kids can truly find themselves as scientists and artists right here in the heart of Oakland. We delight in seeing students and families return to us year after year because they feel safe, inspired, and valued here. Your generosity is what makes this entire ecosystem possible.
Will you make a gift today to provide critical financial assistance for a future artist or scientist?
See Your Impact in Action
To see exactly how your support changes lives and fuels imagination, we invite you to watch a short video highlighting the daily magic that happens at the Center. Hear directly from our educators, volunteers, and the incredible young makers who rely on our financial assistance program to discover their passions along Lake Merritt.