Make way, lemonade stand. This summer South Jersey children will fill up on Art Soup, an exciting array of cultural offerings for kids presented by the Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts. From world music performances and storytellers, to art gallery tours, to dinosaurs dancing to Mozart, “Summer Art Soup” is serving up fun learning opportunities at Rutgers–Camden July through August.
Thanks to funding from the Campbell Soup Foundation, these diverse and inspiring events, which are free and open to the public, will be especially enjoyed by the 4,000 Camden children and teens expected to attend.
The $30,000 award supports four initiatives: Summer Art Studio Program, which includes a tour of the New York Times-reviewed Stedman Gallery and a hands-on 3D project; Storytelling in Words and Pictures, which connects young readers to books in new and meaningful ways; Stage Adventures, which features four dynamic performances for young audiences in the Gordon Theater; and Camden Art Gardens, which beautifies sites throughout the city through hands-on gardening and artistic installations.
Sandcastles wash away; 3-D sculptures are here to stay! Every Monday and Friday, beginning Monday, July 9, through Friday, Aug. 10, at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., art enthusiasts as young as five can take part in the Summer Art Studio Program.
A brief gallery tour of the exhibition “Of the Walls,” featuring sculpture from the Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts permanent collection, will be followed by a basic sculpture techniques tutorial that includes the creation of a 3-D art project.
This program will take place in the Stedman Gallery, located in the Fine Arts Complex on Third Street, between Cooper Street and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge on the Rutgers–Camden Campus.
The world of books and reading comes to life during an engaging storytelling series featuring Rutgers–Camden alumnus Kyle Jakubowski. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning Tuesday, July 10, through Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., children ages three to six can partake in a summertime tradition of storytelling, sans marshmallows.
This program will take place in the Camden County Library Branch, located on Fifth Street, between Cooper Street and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge on the Rutgers–Camden Campus.
Bust through the big screen with educational, and entertaining, performances in Stage Adventures. At 10 a.m. on Thursdays, July 12, through Aug. 2, audiences from age four and up will enjoy “World Music Magic,” featuring global rhythms from the Americas to Zimbabwe with Gina Ferrera (July 12); award-winning artists and acrobats Universal African Drum and Dance Ensemble (July 19); Jim West Productions explores the world of “DINOSAURS” through music, science, and puppets (July 26); and the captivating Queen Nur’s musical storytelling of “Sweet Potato Pie & Such” (Aug. 2).
This program will take place in the Gordon Theater, located in the Fine Arts Complex on Third Street, between Cooper Street and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge on the Rutgers–Camden Campus.
The Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts seeks to provide performances, exhibitions, education programs, and community projects, that inspire a full appreciation and enjoyment of the arts, create meaningful opportunities to participate in the arts, advance the central role of the arts in preK-12 education, and increase awareness of the arts as essential to cultural, economic, and community vitality.
Reservations for all performances are required. To reserve space for performances or for additional information about “Art Soup,” contact Noreen Scott Garrity at (856) 225-6306.
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Media Contact: Cathy K. Donovan
(856) 225-6627
E-mail: catkarm@camden.rutgers.edu