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Faculty of Humanities

Arts at McMaster

Junior

Overview

Whether your young artist is interested in visual art or digital art – or both! – our Junior Arts summer camps will encourage them to explore, have fun, and learn through hands-on creation, visits from guest artists and field trips.

We offer week-long programs for campers in Grades 5 through 8.

Pricing overview

Five Day Junior Camps pricing

5 Day Junior Camps are $359 + HST

Four Day Junior Camps pricing

4 Day Junior Camps $289 + HST

Before and after care

Before and aftercare options are available:

  • $25 for either before or after care.
  • $45 for both before and aftercare.

Daily schedule

Drop-off/sign-in for each camp is between 8:45 and 9:30 a.m. Pick-up/sign-out is between 3:30 and 4 p.m.

Extended care is available from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. and from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Ready to register? We can’t wait to welcome you to our summer camp program!

Learn more about registration here

Junior Arts – Week 1

Exploring Painting – Junior Arts at McMaster

Exploring Painting – Junior Arts at McMaster introduces students in grades 5–8 to both traditional and contemporary approaches to painting, exploring how color, line, texture, and light can be used to express ideas and emotion. Through a combination of studio practice and digital media exploration, students will spend half the day in our art studios and half the day in our media labs, creating expressive, multi-layered works that reflect both technical skill and personal creativity. This program encourages experimentation and supports the development of visual literacy through a dynamic blend of classic and modern techniques.

Junior Arts – Week 2

Creative Animation – Junior Arts at McMaster

Creative Animation – Junior Arts at McMaster introduces students to the fundamentals of animated storytelling, combining traditional techniques such as hand-drawn and stop-motion animation with contemporary digital technologies.

Students spend time in both media labs and art studios, developing original characters, storyboards, and short animated projects. The curriculum covers key animation principles, including timing, visual narrative, and cartoon design, fostering skills in creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Junior Arts – Week 3

Exploring Sculpture – Junior Arts at McMaster

Exploring Sculpture – Junior Arts at McMaster introduces students to the principles of three-dimensional art through both traditional and contemporary sculpture practices. Students will explore a wide range of materials, including clay, mixed media, and emerging digital tools such as augmented reality and 3D printing.

The program emphasizes the fundamentals of 3D design, with students dividing their time between hands-on studio work and digital media labs. Through this balanced approach, students will develop both technical skills and conceptual thinking, gaining insight into sculpture as a dynamic and evolving art form.

Junior Arts – Week 4

Exploring Printmaking – Junior Arts at McMaster

Exploring Printmaking – Junior Arts at McMaster offers students in grades 5–8 a dynamic introduction to the art and science of printmaking through both traditional techniques, such as Screen printing, block printing, and intaglio and modern digital technologies including laser and 3D printing.

Students will split their time between hands-on creative work in our art studios and innovative exploration in our media labs and makerspace. The program emphasizes illustration, image-making, and design reproduction, encouraging students to think critically and creatively while producing a portfolio of original work.

This interdisciplinary experience supports STEAM learning by blending visual arts with technology and design in an inspiring, project-based environment.

Junior Arts – Week 5

Sculpture Foundation – Junior Arts at McMaster

Sculpture Foundation – Junior Arts at McMaster is a four-day intensive program that provides students with an in-depth exploration of three-dimensional art through the medium of sculpture. Participants will work with a variety of materials, including clay and mixed media, and develop foundational skills in vessel making, mold usage, and coil techniques.

As the week progresses, students will advance to more expressive and complex sculptural forms. Conducted in our well-equipped traditional art studios, this program offers a comprehensive study of 3D design principles, encouraging both technical skill development and creative expression.

Painting Foundation – Junior Arts at McMaster

Painting Foundation – Junior Arts at McMaster is a four-day, intensive program that offers students the opportunity to explore traditional and contemporary painting techniques. Working primarily with watercolours and acrylics, participants will explore a range of styles including abstraction, still life, and landscape. Instruction takes place in our fully equipped painting studio and is complemented by on-campus field trips, such as visits to the greenhouse, designed to inspire observation and enhance creative thinking. This intensive is ideal for students who want to strengthen their technical skills while developing their individual artistic voice.

Junior Arts – Week 6

STEAM Exploration – Junior Arts at McMaster

STEAM Exploration – Junior Arts at McMaster is an interdisciplinary framework that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics to foster innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Our STEAM approach is rooted in the arts, giving students opportunities to explore scientific and technological concepts through a creative, exploratory lens. This perspective encourages meaningful cross-disciplinary connections while nurturing artistic expression.

Our Art Studios and Labs offer access to both traditional media and advanced tools, including 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters. Through hands-on projects, students engage with core ideas in mathematics and science in ways that promote curiosity, experimentation, and interdisciplinary thinking. Beyond the studio, students will join guided campus tours to visit a range of research and innovation spaces. These experiences spark dialogue across disciplines and provide a broader view of the diverse academic and creative landscape that defines the McMaster community.

Program Highlights:

  • Work with 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters
  • Explore science and math through creative projects
  • Use both traditional art materials and modern tech tools
  • Go on guided tours of campus labs and innovation spaces
  • Build confidence, curiosity, and problem-solving skills

With art as the gateway, students will connect with STEAM in ways that are engaging, inspiring, and fun!