New for 2024!
Bottle Works will provide snacks and drinks for our summer camp participants!
Spend your Summer on Third Avenue!
Camp BW Slated for Summer 2024
Spend your summer days creating and discovering your artistic talents at the Bottle Works – Arts on Third Avenue! We are offering a number of camps and workshops, led by our professional artists and trained education staff for learners ages 5-113!
We are excited to bring back these amazing programs: Art Academy Summer for students ages 9-16; Camp BW for young creatives ages 7 to 12; Camp BW JUNIOR for ages 5-7: and MegaMasters, which is our teen and adult workshop!
ALL summer programming is hosted at the Bottle Works Arts Campus (411 – 413 Third Ave. Johnstown, PA 15906) Monday- Friday from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (with the exception of extended program days for Arts Academy field trips only and Camp BW JUNIOR which is Tuesday- Thursday).
Enrollment Made Easy!
The enrollment and payment process is simple! Participants can enroll and pay online (preferred method). If you prefer a paper application, please inquire by calling 814-535-2020, or stop in the Art Works Gallery Shoppe (413 Third Ave. Johnstown, PA 15906) during operation hours.
For learners under the age of 18, registration forms and payments must be completed by a parent/guardian.
If you have questions about the camps and workshops, please contact Holly Lees, Bottle Works Education Coordinator, at hlees@bottleworks.org or by calling 814-535-2020.
Scholarships are available for participants 18 and under. To apply for a scholarship, fill out the scholarship request form. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and precedence is given to those who enroll in multiple camps/workshops. To apply for a full or partial scholarship, click HERE.
The Bottle Works have camps and workshops designed just for you! Select a camp based on your age!
- Camp BW: Ages 7- 12
- Camp BW JUNIOR: Ages 5-7
Camp BW: Ages 7-12
Explore the world through art, music, dance, science, history, mindfulness, and more all summer long during Camp BW! Each week campers will participate in themed camps with the Bottle Works education team and Teen Helpers. Camps are paired with adventurous field trips and/ or exciting guest visitors. Camp BW is sure to thrill! Camp Instructions are professional artists and certified teachers with childcare clearances.
Camp BW Week 1: June 10-14
Ready, Set, Van Gogh!
Monday- Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Kick off the summer with a week full of PAINT and creative expression! This week we dive into the impressionist and post-impressionist periods of art as we experiment with light, shadow, and visual brush strokes. Using acrylic paint on a giant canvas, we’ll create our own dreamy landscapes like Claude Monet. Experiments using shaving cream and printmaking techniques will yield swirly stars scenes reminiscent of Vincent Van Gogh’s works. Inspired by Marry Cassat, we will create a portrait depicting a warm relationship with a loved one. Active art-inspired games like “ the Vincent’s Swirls and Stops Relay Race” and “the bouncing brush strokes challenge” will keep our bodies moving and encourage out-of-the-box thinking essential to any aspiring impressionist!
Field trip: TBD
Camp BW Week 2: June 17- 21 With Great Power comes…, Superhero Camp!
Monday- Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
As part of Hero Works programming at Bottle Works, we offer this experience for campers to explore their own heroic nature! Drawn and animated in many forms, heroes open our imaginations to endless possibilities. Students will learn to draw the human form in powerful hero poses by utilizing posing mannequins and experimenting with gesture drawing. Each student will create a self-portrait depicting themselves with superpowers, and a unique hero outfit.. Students will also get to create an animal or creature sidekick made from polymer clay
Field trip: Bungee Fitness Windber Community Building, Spider-Man mural, Windber Recreation picnic for lunch
Picture yourself flying! On field trip day, we will visit Bungee Fitness in the Windber Community Building. Using their bungee technology we will bounce, bound, and fly like real superheroes. Exploring moving like heroes will help us add action and authenticity to our hero self-portraits! We will also stop by the Steve Ditko mural located on Washington St in downtown Johnstown. The mural features Spider-Man and Doctor Strange in a tribute to our hometown hero, Steve Ditko!
SOLD OUT –Camp BW Week 3: June 24-28
Cultural Cuisines- The Art of Food!
Monday- Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Let’s get cooking and creating! As we chop, saute, boil, and bake, we will learn the basics of cooking, food safety, creative plating, and even mixology. Bottle Works is currently seeking a number of cooks to share their cultural meal recipes while helping our campers cook for each other. We will update this description as our “menu” develops. For “just for fun silliness”, will hold mixology challenges asking campers to work with a team to create fun mocktails for our Camp BW panel of judges to taste and rate. Campers will also dream up their own themed restaurant idea, create its menu, and design and decorate a mini restaurant diorama.
Field trip: Balance Restaurant
Tuesday, June 25- 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
On field trip day, we will visit Balance Restaurant to learn about the restaurant business, meet the chef, see a demo of knife skills…….
Camp BW Week 4: July 8-12
UP, UP, and Away! Exploring the Sky and Stars
This camp is up in the sky and out of this world with high-flying adventure and unmatched creative wonders! Campers will explore the sky above, painting the sky in its many colors using watercolors. We’ll also create sculptures of stars or planets mounted on painted sparkly and shining backgrounds. Aliens make an appearance at camp this week as students use pom poms, yarn, styrofoam, and more to craft their own outer space creatures.
Field trip:TBD
Camp BW Week 5: July 22-26
SOLD OUT – Folk Art Fantasy and Cryptids
Monday- Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
In Preparation for Johnstown’s own Cryptid festival, Squonkapalooza!, Campers will embark on a journey of exploration through folk arts, learn the history of local cryptids and urban legends, and even create their own original cryptid! BW Folk art consultant Rayna Noel and her band of fiber artists will teach campers how to crochet their own mini Squonk that they can proudly display at the BW booth at the festival!
Field trip: TBD
Camp BW Week 6: August 5-9
SOLD OUT- End of Summer Bash
Monday- Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Back by popular demand, we are ending the summer season with a BANG! End of Summer Bash is a fun, highly-anticipated camp that allows campers to create wildly all week long. We will create unique art using fun and splashy techniques inspired by abstract artist. We will create with paper mache, experiment with printmaking, and stamping, and make mosaics. Cool indoor/outdoor games and activities are in store, like our wicked water balloon fight! To end the camp is the return of our famous color battle royale in the FNB Pop Plaza.
Field trip: Camp Sequanota
Get your swimsuits and trunks as we head to Camp Sequanota in Jennerstown, PA, for a summer camp PARTY! Campers will play games and swim in the camp’s pool, weather permitting.
Camp BW Pricing:
Payment is due upon registration.
Early bird discount when you sign up & pay before June 1:
$145 Non-Members; $140 BW Members
Registration Pricing when you sign up & pay after June 1
$155 Non-members; $150 Members
Receive the Bottle Works’ Junior Artist Discount by signing up for four or more weeks of camp.
When you enroll in four or more weeks of camp, you’ll pay a special price for each week of camp and be considered a Bottle Works Junior Artist. Junior Artists will receive major artists’ perks including a swag bag with a t-shirt and other fun items.
Bottle Works Junior Artist Regular Prices per week:
Early Bird Discounts per week pricing:
$135 Non-members, $130 Members. Contact Bottle Works to register with this special Junior Artist pricing.
Junior Artist Pricing after June 1
$145 Non-members
$140 BW Members
Payment is due when registering for camp. Contact Holly Lees at hlees@bottleworks or 814.535.2020 for more information. Payment plans are available to anyone signing up for four or more weeks of camp.
SCHOLARSHIPS
A limited number of scholarships are available. Scholarships are based on declared financial need and interest. Scholarships will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis. Scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis. In order to extend funds to as many students as we can, we prefer to offer partial scholarships based on your declared need. We receive many scholarship requests and try to meet every request whenever possible, but scholarship funds are limited.
There will be no before and after care available, this summer for programming at Bottle Works
Camp BW Junior Ages 5-7!
June 25, 26, & 27 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Instructor: Joanne Mekis Take Mini Masters and scale it down for the younger artists. Campers will be learning art history and creating pieces in the style of famous artists and art periods. Make a self-portrait, draw to music, paint on canvas as an Impressionist, sketch outside “en plein air” the way that Monet did, paint with scissors and paper-like Matisse, and so much more. Use the five basic human senses to explore art in a different way. Create your work with real artists’ materials and learn how to mix colors and compose a piece of art. These artists may be tiny, but they will be grand creators!
July 9, 10, & 11 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Campers will become designers, creators, and athletes at the Bottle Works Creative Olympics! Create your own country and design a poster and uniform for your team. Work individually and in groups to build skills as competitors while we play wacky games. We will learn some history about the Olympics, use science and art techniques while we compete, and have fun as we race for the gold. Experience the thrill of victory and you may even earn a medal!
August 6, 7, & 8 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Instructor: Joanne Mekis
The language of art is universal! Camp Travelers will make passports and get them stamped as they learn about the Americas, Europe, Africa, and other places across the globe. Students will tour different countries and sample foods, tell stories, learn about holiday traditions and folklore, dance and listen to music, and make crafts and games unique to each region. To wrap up camp, we will have a fun party celebrating the world! Get ready for a creative adventure around the world!
Teen Apprentices
Bottle Works is seeking a team of teen-aged apprentices to help out with youth summer camps, workshops, summer festivals, events, art openings, and other Bottle Works fun!
Who should apply?
The Bottle Works Teen Apprenticeship Program is for youth ages 13-19 who are interested in the arts, working with youth, and making a difference in the community.
If you are accepted into the youth apprenticeship program, you’ll get to work with fun artists and educators as you help the students with the projects and assist the teachers with preparation. You’ll also get to attend field trips and explore your own art skills. You could also help Bottle Works during one of our summer festivals, events, public art projects, and/or art openings.
Why become a Teen Apprentice?
You’ll make exciting connections within the art community, meet new friends and learn valuable job skills. You can count time at Bottle Works as service hours and use this experience on your resume. There is potential to earn fun Bottle Works swag like t-shirts and bags for committed apprentices.
When?
We are seeking apprentices throughout the summer and school year. You can check on your application which dates you are available and would like to serve. There will also be an introduction party/ training for apprentices June 8, 2023.
How to apply?
Meet the Camp BW Staff:
Holly Lees:
Holly Lees is the Youth Program Coordinator and Mindfulness & Arts Facilitator for Bottle Works Arts on Third. Holly facilitates the Bottle Works’ M.I.N.D. Works Program in local classrooms, after-school programs, and at Bottle Works.. She is a Mindful Schools Certified Instructor and completed the school-wide mindfulness implementation program with Mindful Schools. Holly received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in photography from Point Park University. Holly grew up and currently lives in Johnstown, PA. She cares deeply about the community and the future of Johnstown. She has been working at summer camps and after-school programs since she was a child herself. She has been working with Camp BW since 2013. She enjoys working with the Bottle Works team to create unique learning experiences in which young people can grow their social and emotional skills and discover the power of their own creativity and intelligence.
Laura Troy:
Hi, my name is Laura Troy and I am thrilled to return as a third-year instructor for summer BW camps. BottleWorks has also provided me with the opportunity to work collaboratively with them to provide more art experiences for the students of Conemaugh Valley Elementary School. My full-time position is as CVES Elementary Art Teacher, art camp advisor, and student council co-advisor. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education (K-12) and a Master’s in Reading Specialist with an Emphasis on Elementary Standards. I am a single mother of four with a passion for the arts and working with students. My favorite mediums are colored pencils and watercolor as I love to experiment, blend and push my creativity when I find the time. I have been blessed to “work” a summer job that allows me to share my passion, make lasting FUN memories, and include my own children as campers and apprentices. I live a colorful life enjoying all the moments, sharing smiles, and dancing in the rain.
Shannon Stephens:
My name is Shannon Stephens and I was born and raised here in Johnstown into a creative family. My father makes items out of wood such as bowls, pens, and furniture. My mom’s main media of choice is quilting but has dabbled in all sorts of projects over the years. I love to do anything at all with my hands. I make t-shirts, jewelry, and bows to sell with my father which you can find here at the Bottleworks. I have recently taken up crocheting. I work at Greater Johnstown School District and teach 3rd grade. I love working at the Bottleworks in the summer! I enjoy meeting kiddos from across the area and sharing my passion for art with them.
Gwendolyn Msolomba:
I am a pre-K teacher at Morrell Neighborhood School. I have my masters degree in early childhood education. I have taught creative movement and world dance at St Francis University for the last 3 years. I love the freedom you get when it comes to doing anything in the arts. I like helping young people become well round in the arts. I have been teaching and dancing West African dance for the last 10 years, which included a trip to Africa to learn authentic drumming and dancing. One of my favorite parts about Camp BW is getting to help students grow and explore their passion for art and all that goes with being a festive mind.