CAMP JCAS 2026
Making, Building, and Exploring: Summer Camp Bulletin #1
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!The Junior Center of Art and Science Summer Camp offers full day, arts-integrated engagements for young artists, makers and thinkers. Our projects are led by professional artists and educators who inspire a safe, open, and creative environment where campers feel encouraged to take risks, explore, and try their hand at a wide variety of arts and science activities including carpentry, game design, comics and more!
Secure Your Spot: Remaining Camp Slots Available
Camp Schedule
TOY MAKERS
ONE WEEK CAMP • July 6-10 • 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Ages 8-10 • $450-$625
Unleash your creativity in this maker centered camp by transforming old toys into brand-new creations! Campers will design and build their own toys, from analog inventions to electronic marvels, using recycled materials, electronics, and various devices. From crafting custom cars and innovative robots to designing unique board games, this camp empowers students to imagine, invent, and bring their ideas to life.
FASHION LAB: DESIGN YOUR AESTHETIC
ONE WEEK CAMP • July 20-24 • 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Ages 12-17 • $450-$625
Fashion Lab is where your vision moves from the sketchbook to reality. We are diving deep into the world of custom creation, starting with sketching and mood boards. You’ll begin by mapping out your aesthetic, choosing colors, textures, and patterns that define your personal style.
Once your vision is set, the real hands-on work begins in the textile studio. You’ll learn to treat fabric like a canvas, using block printing and fabric painting to design your own custom textiles. You’re encouraged to bring favorite pieces from home to upcycle, leveling them up with professional embroidery, beadwork, custom patches, and intricate stitching.
As the week unfolds, you’ll experiment with scale and form, choosing from a curated selection of patterns to transform fabrics into wearable pieces. By the time you wrap your session, you won’t just leave with a mini-collection of original creations; you’ll walk away with the technical skills and the creative confidence to keep designing your own future.
*Campers must have previous sewing experience*
STUDIO ART
ONE WEEK CAMP • July 27-31 • 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Ages 13-17 • $450-$625
This studio art camp is designed for young artists who want to dive deep into the creative process and offers a professional studio environment to explore new mediums and elevate your skills. Each day introduces new techniques and challenges, balancing guided instruction with open studio time for independent exploration. Campers will experiment with a variety of materials, including charcoal, acrylics, watercolors, ink, and mixed media. Artists will be encouraged to develop original concepts and personal style, while honing in on concepts in composition, color theory, perspective, and observational drawing. Participants will learn how to analyze art and give/receive professional feedback through supportive group critiques and a culminating showcase.
Ask a Camper
Curious what real JCAS campers love about our classes? Check out these videos to get the real word.
SLIDING SCALE PRICING
All JCAS classes are made available to families on a sliding scale. Families choose the amount they are able to pay, considering the top end of our scale is how much it costs us to run the class. We encourage families to help support our efforts to make programs available to those in need.
If the sliding scale prices are still out of your family’s budget, we do offer scholarships. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please give us 7 business days to process applications.
All scholarship requests must be made before April 17th.
Don’t worry about camps filling up, we account for this and ensure every camp is available for scholarship students.
PAY IT FORWARD PROGRAM
JCAS is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to offering equitable access to arts and science education. We serve more than 1,500 students every year and most of our students – more than 70% – receive financial assistance.
You can now support our mission directly using our Pay It Forward Program. When registering your student for a class, you’ll have the opportunity to Pay It Forward and contribute to our Scholarship Fund. Your donation ensures that students from all backgrounds can experience the joy and enrichment of our classes and camps—at little to no cost to them.
ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION
We’re committed to making all programs at the Junior Center of Art and Science inclusive and accessible. Our spaces are wheelchair-friendly, and we welcome learners of all abilities and learning styles. If you or your child need accommodations, please let us know—we’re happy to help! Read our Accessibility Statement here.
You can indicate any accommodation needs or concerns when registering your child under the “Special Instructions about my child” section. You can also reach out directly at contact@juniorcenter.org
NEW! PLEASE READ!
REFUND POLICY
ACTIVE now offers self-cancelations! If you need to cancel your registration for any reason, log in to your ACTIVE account, locate the registration you wish to cancel, and select ‘cancel’. Our Refund Policy is as follows:
All purchases include a 10% non-refundable deposit to cover administrative costs.
From 1/28 – 5/1, you will receive a 90% refund.
From 5/2 – 6/7, you will receive a 40% refund.
From 6/8 on, we are not able to offer any refunds.