Girdwood Fine Arts Camp

The Girdwood Arts Camp offers several teenage apprenticeships with support from the grant from the Girdwood Board of Supervisors (GBOS). Apprentices play a vital part in the camp’s day-to-day operations, learning from art instructors along with the camp participants but also helping out with a multitude of various tasks:

• helping younger campers stay focused on their art projects
• getting supplies ready before sessions / cleaning supplies after sessions
• assembling art portfolios
• getting ready for the art show
• getting daily snacks set up
• many other very important tasks!

Apprentices typically participate in the camp schedule daily, from 10-5pm, plus setup and break down days before and after the camp. The lump pay for full participation is $500.

If you are between 14-19 years old and would like to apply for an apprenticeship please contact us!

Listen to 2021 apprentices talk about their experience:

Apprentice Leadership program supports teenagers and young adults in developing their teaching and mentoring skills through working at the Girdwood Art Camp. Many apprentices have been participants at the camp in the past, and it is great to see their growth both as artists and mentors to younger children. They are an integral part of the camp team, and we are very grateful to have these young people contributing to the camp’s success.

Watch this video where the apprentices talk about their experience being part of the Apprentice Leadership Program in 2021.

Once again, we held a series of winter classes during this challenging COVID winter 2020-21. Local artists Catherine Lindquist, Jimmy Riordan, and Tommy O’Malley led small groups of kids in creative explorations. The topics ranged from ice and paper sculptures, paper marbling, and mini-paintings to digital art and FIMO sculpting techniques.

2020 Art Camp is over! COVID did not stop us, and we are proud to see that our safety measures have worked and the camp was COVID-free. Thank you to our supporters and partners: Four Valleys Community School, Challenge Alaska, Bake Shop, Spoonline, Lions Club, and numerous individuals who showed up or donated or raised the young artists.

Thank you! Looking forward to 2021!

See Camp 2020 picture stream

Girdwood Arts Camp is not just a summer event. This winter, artists and Arts Camp directors Jimmy Riordan (Intermediate Camp Director) and Tommy O’Malley (Primary Camp Director) facilitated an after-school program for K-8th grades.

Their printmaking project created a Girdwood alphabet postcard and poster using the ideas and artistic creations of Girdwood students. Over two weeks the students came up with a Girdwood alphabet, designed illustrations for each letter and put together an alphabet postcard and poster.