Develop your creativity this summer! Taking place at both ICA North in Encinitas and ICA Central in Balboa Park, our 2026 summer art camp for kids and teens is designed to promote mental health and inspire creativity.
Young artists in San Diego County will explore art making with a variety of supplies, acquire new skills by expanding on their art making techniques, and continue to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities under the guidance of a teaching artist during each of our one-of-a-kind week of project-based camps. At the end of week, young visiting artists will have the opportunity to showcase their art work at the weekly student art exhibition!
Schedule
Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 2 PM
Aftercare (additional): 2 – 3 PM
ICA North camp available for registration beginning December 5! ICA Central camp available for registration beginning March 1. Before March 1, please fill out our interest form here in order to help us plan for camp accordingly!
Need-based scholarships for summer camp and the summer teen portfolio intensive are available!
To apply, please fill out the form here.
ICA Family Memberships and above save 10% – Use ICAFAMILYMEMBER code.
If you are not an ICA member, you can sign up here!
Purchase 2 or more camps and save an additional 5% each – Use MULTICAMP code
Discounts can be combined. Apply discount codes at the bottom of your shopping bag page before checkout.
1439 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101
Summer Art Camps at ICA San Diego / Central in Balboa Park include access to partner museums and time outdoors enjoying the park. Please click on the (+) sign to choose a week and then click register here.
Week 1: June 15 - 18 / No camp June 19
Garden of Art
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: June 15 – 18 (Skips 6/19, Juneteenth)
Young artists will grow a garden full of thankfulness and creativity! Campers will paint, draw, and craft flowers, plants, and garden creatures while exploring hands-on art projects that celebrate kindness and appreciation.
Each day is full of imagination, creativity, and gratitude, join us for a week of growing thankful hearts and beautiful art!
Week 3: July 6 - 10
Color Splash Carnival
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: July 6 – 10
Dive into a world of bright colors and creative fun! Young artists will paint, splash, and craft vibrant masterpieces using a variety of art materials, exploring bold patterns, textures, and imaginative designs inspired by the creativity of carnivals.
Each day is full of hands-on projects, imagination, and colorful adventures. Join us for a week of dazzling art fun!
Week 5: July 20 - 24
Imagination Laboratory
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: July 20 – 24
Young artists will become creative scientists and inventors in a world of hands-on art experiments! Campers will mix colors, build sculptures, and craft inventive masterpieces using a variety of art materials, exploring their imagination in exciting ways.
Each day is full of creative projects, discovery, and playful experimentation. Join us for a week of fun experiments and imaginative art!
Week 6: July 27 - 31
Space Odyssey
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: July 27 – 31
Blast off into creativity where young astronauts will explore the cosmos through art!
This week’s campers will create stellar masterpieces inspired by planets, stars, and galaxies, using a variety of fun materials and techniques.
Join us for a journey filled with imagination as we travel to infinity and beyond!
Week 2: June 22 - 26
STEAM Studio
Ages: 8-10 years old
Dates: June 22 – 26
Young artists will dive into a world where creativity meets curiosity as they explore the wonders of art through the lens of STEAM. Campers will experiment with color-changing creations, playful moving artworks, and imaginative designs that blend art with simple science and technology.
Join us for a vibrant adventure where ideas spark, inventions shine, and every masterpiece comes to life!
Week 4: July 13 - 17
Mixed Media Drawing
Ages: 11-13 and 14-17 years old
Dates: July 13 – 17
Teens will explore drawing like never before, combining traditional techniques with experimental materials to create bold, textured artworks. From ink and graphite to collage and creative tools, campers will push the boundaries of what a drawing can be. Join us to sketch, experiment, and bring your big ideas to life!
1550 S El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024
Summer Art Camp at our North location in Encinitas includes access to our 6-acre property including our beautiful garden and Sculpture Trail hikes. Please click on the (+) sign to choose a week and then click register here.
Week 1: June 15 - 18 / No camp June 19
Dino Discovery
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: June 15 – 18 (Skips 6/19, Juneteenth)
Dino Discovery is a roaring good time for young artists ages 5–7! Little explorers will paint, sculpt, and create colorful dinosaur art while learning fun facts about their favorite prehistoric pals.
Each day brings new adventures, like making fossils, dino eggs, and volcano art, for a week full of creativity and imagination!
Register Here!
Week 2 (Section 1): June 22 - 26
Paws, Claws & Critters: Section 1
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: June 22 – 26
Young artists will turn their favorite animals into amazing art! Campers will paint, sculpt, and create colorful critters—from cuddly pets to wild animals—using a variety of art materials. Each day is full of imagination, hands-on projects, and creative fun in the world of paws, claws, and tails!
Register Here!
Week 2 (Section 2): June 22 - 26
Paws, Claws & Critters: Section 2
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Dates: June 22 – 26
Young artists will turn their favorite animals into amazing art! Campers will paint, sculpt, and create colorful critters—from cuddly pets to wild animals—using a variety of art materials. Each day is full of imagination, hands-on projects, and creative fun in the world of paws, claws, and tails!
Register Here!
Week 3: July 6 - 10
Space Odyssey
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Date: July 6 – 10
Blast off into creativity where young astronauts will explore the cosmos through art!
This week’s campers will create stellar masterpieces inspired by planets, stars, and galaxies, using a variety of fun materials and techniques.
Join us for a journey filled with imagination as we travel to infinity and beyond!
Week 4: July 13 - 17
Art in the Wild
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Date: July 13 – 17
Art in the Wild invites young artists to explore the wonders of nature through creative play! Campers will paint, draw, and craft animals, plants, and outdoor scenes using a variety of art materials.
Each day is full of hands-on projects, imagination, and fun adventures inspired by the natural world. Come join the adventure and let your creativity run wild!
Register Here!
Week 5: July 20 - 24
Imagination Laboratory
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Date: July 20 – 24
Young artists will become creative scientists and inventors in a world of hands-on art experiments! Campers will mix colors, build sculptures, and craft inventive masterpieces using a variety of art materials, exploring their imagination in exciting ways.
Each day is full of creative projects, discovery, and playful experimentation. Join us for a week of fun experiments and imaginative art!
Register Here!
Week 6: July 27 - 31
Ocean Explorers
Ages: 5 – 7 years old
Date: July 27 – 31
Young artists will explore a magical ocean world filled with colorful fish, playful dolphins, and sparkling mermaids as they create amazing sea-themed art.
Join us for a tidal wave of creativity and imagination, where campers can let their creative ideas swim free!
Register Here!
Week 1: June 15 - 18 / No camp June 19
STEAM Studio
Ages: 8-10 years old
Dates: June 15 – 18 (Skips 6/19, Juneteenth)
Young artists will dive into a world where creativity meets curiosity as they explore the wonders of art through the lens of STEAM. Campers will experiment with color-changing creations, playful moving artworks, and imaginative designs that blend art with simple science and technology.
Join us for a vibrant adventure where ideas spark, inventions shine, and every masterpiece comes to life!
Register Here!
Week 2: June 22 - 26
Art Around the World
Ages: 8-10 years old
Dates: June 22 – 26
Young artists will set off on a creative journey across the globe as they explore vibrant art traditions from faraway places. From bold patterns and colorful textiles to whimsical folk art and dazzling cultural designs, campers will create masterpieces inspired by countries near and far.
Join us for an artistic adventure where imagination travels freely and every project brings a new destination to life!
Register Here!
Week 3: July 6 - 10 (Section 1)
Mixed Media Madness
Ages: 8-10 years old
Date: July 6 – 10
Unleash creativity with: Mixed Media Madness!
Campers will be immersed into a whirlwind of colors, textures, and techniques as they combine paint, collage, and even found objects to create unique masterpieces.
Get ready for an exciting week of artistic exploration where your imagination knows no bounds—let’s get messy and make some magic!
Week 3: July 6 - 10 (Section 2)
Mixed Media Madness
Ages: 8-10 years old
Date: July 6 – 10
Unleash creativity with: Mixed Media Madness!
Campers will be immersed into a whirlwind of colors, textures, and techniques as they combine paint, collage, and even found objects to create unique masterpieces.
Get ready for an exciting week of artistic exploration where your imagination knows no bounds—let’s get messy and make some magic!
Week 4: July 13 - 17
STEAM Build-A-Bot Art Studio
Ages: 8-10 years old
Date: July 13 – 17
Young artists will design, build, and decorate their very own artistic robots from start to finish. Campers will explore how simple mechanisms and creative materials, like paint, collage, recycled parts, and playful textures, come together to bring their bots to life.
Each day offers new hands-on challenges, giving kids the chance to experiment, invent, and let their creativity shine in a fun, imaginative environment!
Register Here!
Week 5: July 20 - 24
Deep Sea Discovery
Ages: 8-10 years old
Date: July 20 – 24
Young artists will dive into an underwater adventure, exploring the wonders of the ocean through hands-on art projects. Campers will create colorful sea creatures, sparkling coral reefs, and imaginative underwater scenes using paint, collage, and mixed materials. Each activity sparks creativity and curiosity, bringing the magic of the deep sea to life!
Register Here!
Week 6: July 27 - 31
Eco-Art Explorers: Creative Upcycling Adventures!
Ages: 8-10 years old
Date: July 27 – 31
Young artists will transform everyday recycled materials into amazing works of art in this creative, eco-friendly adventure. Campers will experiment with collage, sculpture, and mixed-media projects, learning how to give new life to old objects. Every project is a chance to imagine, invent, and create in fun and sustainable ways!
Register Here!
Week 1: June 15 - 18 / No camp June 19
STEAM BioDesign Art Lab: Mixed Media + Ceramics
Ages: 11-13
Dates: June 15 – 18 (Skips 6/19, Juneteenth)
Where art meets science! Teens will discover how biology and design inspire creative projects, blending mixed media and ceramics to craft living-inspired works. Join us to invent, experiment, and transform natural forms into amazing art!
Register Here!
Week 2: June 22 - 26
Textile Arts + Ceramics
Ages: 11-13
Dates: June 22 – 26
From fibers to clay, teens will explore textures, patterns, and three-dimensional design. Campers will weave, stitch, and sculpt their way to imaginative mixed-media creations. Join us to craft, create, and make your artistic ideas come to life!
Register Here!
Week 3: July 6 - 10
STEAM Kinetic Art & Ceramics Lab
Ages: 11-13
Date: July 6 – 10
Teens will bring art to life by combining movement, mechanics, and clay! Campers design kinetic sculptures that spin, move, or interact, learning to fuse engineering with creativity. Join us to build, tinker, and watch your art spring into motion!
Register Here!
Week 6 (Section 1): July 27 - 31
Mixed Media Sculpture + Ceramics
Ages: 11-13
Date: July 27 – 31
Join us for an artistic adventure at our Mixed Media Sculpture + Ceramics Camp, where campers will unleash their creativity in exciting new ways! Participants will blend different materials to create stunning sculptures while crafting unique ceramic pieces that showcase their personal style. Get ready for hands-on fun, imagination, and collaboration as you build extraordinary works of art!
Register Here!
Week 6 (Section 2): July 27 - 31
Mix & Match Zines + Ceramics
Ages: 11-13
Date: July 27 – 31
Teens will dive into storytelling and self-expression by creating handmade zines and unique ceramic pieces. Using collage, paint, illustration, and other mixed media, campers will craft mini-magazines bursting with creativity, alongside one-of-a-kind sculptural
Register Here!
Teen Summer Portfolio Intensive (2 weeks)
Teen Summer Portfolio Intensive
Ages: 14-17 years old
Dates: July 13 – 24
The ICA San Diego’s Teen Art Portfolio Intensive is an immersive 2 -week, skill-building program designed to help high school students create a dynamic, professional art portfolio. Over the course of the intensive, students will explore various mediums, meet with school recruiters, and receiving personalized guidance from experienced instructors and ICA staff. Through hands-on projects, critiques, and exposure to contemporary art practices, participants will refine their technical abilities and artistic vision. By the end of the program, students will have a well-rounded portfolio ready for college applications, art competitions, or future artistic endeavors.
Requirements:
Must have access to a laptop for the duration of the Intensive.
Week 1: June 16 - 20 / No camp June 19
Sketch & Sculpt: Mixed Media Drawing + Ceramics
Ages: 14-17
Dates: June 15 – 18 (Skips 6/19, Juneteenth)
Unleash your creativity at our Mixed Media Drawing + Ceramics Camp! Campers will blend vibrant drawing techniques using cross hatching, line, and perspective drawing and more with hands-on clay creations, crafting everything from imaginative sculptures to stunning drawings.
Join us for a whirlwind of color, texture, and artistic fun that will leave you inspired and ready to show off your unique masterpieces!
Register Here!
