Arts & Crafts
Arts & Crafts is a vast and popular activity area at most summer camp locations, offering a variety of options for campers to get involved with. Take a look below.
Arts & Crafts Activity Director
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- Exceptional experience (practical & teaching) in a variety of different arts & crafts activity areas
- Experience in the supervision of staff teaching preferred
As Arts & Crafts Activity Director, you are responsible for overseeing the entire running of the Arts & Crafts program on camp. This will include the supervision of all Arts & Crafts activity staff on camp.
Although this role is incredibly rewarding, it is hard work and you must feel confident to be the person in charge of this area for the entire duration of camp.
Your role will include;
- The scheduling of arts & crafts activities
- The organisation and supervision of arts & crafts staff
- Creating lesson plans
- Staff performance reviews
- Maintenance of activity areas and equipment
- Ordering of supplies
Cartooning
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- Experience in the creative and technical aspects of all the applications of cartoon art
- BA Hons Cartoon and Comic Arts
As Cartooning activity leader, you are responsible for delivering structured, informative and fun classes to campers; assisting them in working towards the creation of their very own cartoon.
If selected to teach at a specialist arts camp, you will be responsible for the structured development of campers ability. If working at a more general camp location, campers may be of varying ability and experience.
Your role will include the teaching of;
- How to create a cartoon from start to finish, where to begin and steps taken
- Creating paper and computerised cartoons
- Character design and construction, facial expressions
- Page layout, framing, lettering, and caricature
- Using charcoal, ink, drafting pens, paint, pastel, pencil to create
- Drawing from the imagination
You will also be responsible for the ordering of supplies.
Screen Printing
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
-
Advanced experience and knowledge in screen printing
- Advanced experience in teaching others to screen printing
As Screen Printing activity leader, you are responsible for delivering structured, informative and fun classes to campers; assisting them in working towards the creation of their very screen printed item with unique design.
If selected to teach at a specialist arts camp, you will be responsible for the structured development of campers ability. If working at a more general camp location, campers may be of varying ability and experience.
Your role will include the teaching of;
- The history of screen printing
- What can be created using the screen printing technique
- Making/preparing screens
- Creating design templates
- Printing single and multi-colour designs
- Printing on wood, clothing, metal, plastic, glass
You will also be responsible for the ordering of supplies.
Nature Craft
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- Advanced experience and knowledge in various nature crafts
As a Nature Craft teacher, you’ll be making the most out of the abundance of resources right on your doorstep. Campers love to get outside and get their hands dirty, all while finding the perfect materials to make something unique and extra special. Your main job will be to assist them in letting their imagination run wild, whilst having a great time doing so.
Your role will include the teaching of;
- Encouraging the create of different types of nature crafts – pebble art, stick craft, shell pendants, dream catchers. Add your personal touch!
- The use of different sorts of tools
- How to reuse materials found in nature
- How to harvest material without harming the environment
- Safety precautions
Cooking
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- A passion for cookery
- Good general knowledge of cooking (cooking/baking techniques)
- Food safety and hygiene certificate
Become a Cooking Instructor, influence campers to explore different recipes and cooking techniques within a safe environment and make a whole load of yummy snacks and meals in the process. What could be better?
This is not like any normal chef job abroad. Pass on your knowledge and passion to the next generation of budding chefs. You have the freedom to create whatever you like in your own kitchen space and have fun with the campers while doing so. After all, the way to anyones heart is through their stomach!
The role will include;
- Teaching campers about different techniques/utensils which can be used when cooking
- Creating recipes which can be clearly followed by campers
- Creating a variety of snacks (cupcakes, cookies, s’mores, healthy options)
- Teaching nutrition basics to the campers, helping them choose a more healthier lifestyle after leaving camp
- Taking into consideration any camper dietary requirements
- Liaising with camp kitchen management to order supplies needed for a particular recipe
- Maintaining a safe environment at all times
Ceramics/Pottery
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- Completed 1st year of Arts degree/foundation course
Are you part-way through a university arts degree and looking for rewarding, hands-on experience to strengthen your CV? We would love to hear from you.
Join us in 2021 as a Ceramics/Pottery Teacher and take your passion over the Atlantic.
In this role, you will encourage campers to get creative and explore different techniques to create various ceramic pieces. Camps will provide you with all of the equipment to do this so your main job will be to help bring out the best in all campers, making clay work exciting and fun.
Teaching experience is not essential, however you must have the confidence to pass your skills on to campers. All camp directors are looking for is competence with equipment and enthusiasm!
Your role will include;
- Helping campers create ceramic art of their own (cups, bowls, plates, vases, whatever shape they want to make!) using hand throwing
- Using a kiln, including firing it up (wood, gas, electric) safely
- Glazing camper creations (liquid, powder, slip)
- Maintaining camper safety at all times and teaching the basics of how to remain safe around equipment (such as moulding tools, the kiln etc)
- Teaching campers how to wheel throw (electric or foot)
Silversmithing
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- Completed 1st year of Arts degree/foundation course.
- Portfolio of past silversmithing creations
Combine your love of jewellery making with working in the United States, build up your portfolio and inspire campers to get creative in summer 2021 with Skilled Summers.
Become a Silversmithing Teacher and teach this unique skill, breaking down techniques used for a project and helping campers utilise these approaches to create such things as rings and enameled necklaces.
Ingenuity and enthusiasm is key for this role and you will need to feel confident enough to pass your skills on to others.
The role will include;
- Using materials available to help campers create jewellery (aluminium, iron, silver, steel, bronze, copper) and how to finish their creations
- Helping campers create with the use of equipment such as an arc welder, electric grinder, electric and manual saws, MIG welder, sand blaster, soldering iron.
- Teaching measures in order to create jewellery safely (Eye/face protection, no inhaling fumes)
Woodworking
Preferred Experience/Qualifications;
- Completed 1st year of Arts degree/foundation course
Becoming a Woodworking Instructor at camp can lead to an incredibly diverse summer and maybe even have you creating projects that are bigger than anything you’ve ever working on before.
From smaller projects, such as hand-sized wood carvings, to furniture and even wall-sized extravaganzas, if you have experience in this craft, using a variety of different tools, and the confidence to give anything a go, big or small, you will be a welcome addition at camp.
If chosen to lead this department, you will be required to create lesson plans, order supplies and be responsible for this activity area as a whole.
Your role will include;
- Inspiring campers to get creative
- Showing campers different tools that can be used to make wooden creations (mallets, chisels, clamps, handsaw, knives, planer, power tools, sanding/finishing)
- Teaching wood shop safety, particularly around tools, and the use of personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles etc)