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SummerArts
SPEND SUMMER WITH US
Artist-led camps that combine
Movement • Visual Art • Music
Storytelling • Theater • and more!
Students in grades 3 through 9
Channel your kids’ energy into the arts this summer! SummerArts offers three weeks of multi–arts workshops for children entering grades 3-9. Each week, students take part in a wide variety of artistic activities with daily sessions in visual arts, music and movement/theater, led by teaching artists who are experts in their field.
In between classes kids can play outside, spend time with friends or work on a project at their own pace. Workshops for older students are more intensive and provide an opportunity for more sophisticated exploration and execution.
The SummerArts program is specially designed to provide kids with a deeply creative, artistic experience. Themes and activities vary each week, giving students the chance to explore art in many forms and diverse media. Many campers are introduced to new artistic expressions and media that they never knew they loved! Classes are perfect for beginners as well as more seasoned creators. Please note that the age ranges are adjusted based on the number of kids enrolled but that we take great care to place each child in an age-appropriate group that best fits that child’s needs.
2025 SummerArts Schedule
Week 1: August 11–15
Week 2: August 18–22
Week 3: August 25–29
Each week’s camps take place Mon–Fri, 9am–3pm
Teacher information to come; we promise an exciting roster of multi-disciplinary programs.
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Enroll by April 18 and receive $50 off tuition. More details in the button below.
Past Summer Offerings:
- 3D Construction
- Ceramics
- Collage
- Drama
- Drawing
- Drumming
- Fiber Arts
- Graffiti Art
- Murals
- Music & Movement
- Painting
- Printmaking
- Songwriting
- Textile Art
- Weaving
Enrollment
You can register for SummerArts for 1, 2, or all 3 weeks! Campers will be grouped by age in sections of 12 or less. Please note there are no full refunds. Please see our refund policy below for details.
Camper Placement Requests: If your camper(s) would like to be grouped with a friend(s), simply have both parties complete registration and send your placement request via email before May 16th. Due to high demand, placement requests may not be guaranteed after May 16th.
AGES: Kids entering grades 3-9
2025 DATES:
Week 1: August 11–15
Week 2: August 18–22
Week 3: August 25–29
Each week’s camps take place Mon–Fri, 9am–3pm
FOOD: Please send your camper each day with a nut-free lunch, snacks and 2 water bottles.
PLACE: First Reformed Church, 18 Farragut Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
PLACE: First Reformed Church, 18 Farragut Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
Fees & Registration
Please note: once payment is made, we do not offer full refunds on tuition. Please see below for our refund policy details.
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Cost: $600/wk (enroll by April 18 for $50 off!)
- A $20 registration fee will be charged per student
- Funding for scholarships is provided, in part, through The RiverArts Kristeen Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fund, ArtsWestchester, and by individual donations.
Cancellation/Refund Policy
If you need to cancel your child’s enrollment in camp for any reason:
Cancel before May 17, 2025: 75% refund, excluding registration fee.
After May 17, 2025, no refunds.
Last Year’s SummerArts Faculty
Staff
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Emily Gosweiler is a working artist with a BFA from SUNY Purchase primarily focusing on painting and sculpture. She is the executive director and founder of Creative Hearts art program, located in Dobbs Ferry. Over the last 15 years, Emily has worked in over a dozen art programs and camps including the Katonah Art Center, Young Artists at Purchase College and Young At Art. She is passionate about the uplifting and transformative power of an arts education.
Amanda Alvarez has worked in childcare for the past decade with children ranging in age from infancy to early teens. Her love of art began as a young child and when she got a position running the art room at the after-school program, the Irvington Children’s Center, her passion for art and teaching children came together. There she created and ran multiple art clubs and shows to help cultivate the children’s enthusiasm for art and inspire them to keep expressing their creativity. In her fourth year working at SummerArts, she looks forward to helping provide children with a safe space where their curiosity and artistry can grow.
Haifa Bint-Kadi
I’ve been teaching art at schools across Westchester and the five boroughs for over 20 years. Although I work in many mediums, all of my work centers around visual archiving or the preservation of people’s lived experience and memories through art forms. I’m classically trained as a mosaicist, but I also do large scale public art sculptures. All art should activate and nurture the creative potential of every individual, particularly children. My goal when working with young artists is to develop their technical skills, artistic interpretation and to impart self-confidence in their art-making skills. I currently teach art as an Adjunct at Suny Purchase and F.I.T, but throughout the school year, I work with students in the classroom teaching how to use unconventional materials in creative ways.
Jess Blaustein
Jess Blaustein is an artist, maker, and educator whose work has exhibited nationally and internationally. With backgrounds across architecture, craft, and the humanities, she often uses found and discarded materials to tell stories about spaces. These days, when she’s not concocting various objects and installations in her studio, you can find her teaching the wonderful visual arts students at Montclair State University.
Anne Boccato
Anne Boccato is a vocalist, percussionist, pianist, storyteller and educator born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. She has been living in the United States for over 15 years – immersed in the arts scene in New York City, teaching private lessons and performing her own music, as well as collaborating with some wonderful musicians. She founded Asaran Earth Trio out of a desire to dig into her own Brazilian heritage through percussion and voice, and was delighted to watch it became a meeting place for many vocal and rhythmic traditions from around the world. When she’s not performing, writing or teaching, Anne can be found giving workshops on time management, a passion born out of years of struggle and research on how to make her freelancer’s life into one of balance and joyful productivity. http://anneboccato.com/
Doug Coe
Doug Coe has been a FiberArtist for about 40 years. He has taught knitting, weaving, and crochet to adults and children. As a weaver, he ran Skein of Light and taught for SummerArts 2008-2010, as well as French Woods Festival for the Performing Arts from 2011-2013. Once he became Executive Director of RiverArts his fiber arts activity took a "back seat". Since retiring from that role, he is now a full time weaver. He works from his studio in Montgomery, NY and is delighted to return to SummerArts. This past year his work has been seen in several art shows in the Hudson Valley and can be seen on his website: HudsonValleyHandweaving.com. Visitors are always welcome to his studio. Contact Doug at Doug@hudsonvalleyhandweaving.com.
Kofi Donkor
Maxwell Kofi Donkor is a Master drummer and Asante Prince who was born and raised in Ghana. Kofi was chosen to carry on the ancestral drumming tradition, and spent much of his childhood learning drumming from his grandfather. He has honored and pursued this commitment with a passion throughout his life. Kofi now lives and works in New York State where he is the leader of the Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble. The group promotes teamwork and community building through their performances and workshops at events, schools and festivals. Kofi has been an active member of Bridges of Peace and Hope for many years and he believes that the arts (visual and performing arts) are a sure way to bringing people of all races, culture, and gender together in peace and love. When Kofi’s not working he often volunteers to help with the soup kitchen, and homeless shelter, and also spends time visiting patients at the hospital.
Rea Silvia Feriozzi
Rea Silvia Feriozzi is a Westchester artist with roots in Rome Italy. Her artistic exploration encompasses pottery, painting, wool felting, sculpting, and digital art. Her career is distinguished by significant accolades, including awards for digital commercials and the "Blue Ribbon" at the Blue Door Gallery members' show. She honed her skills in traditional sculpture under David Simon's tutelage. Working alongside renowned artists like Tom Otterness and Harry Roseman has enriched Rea's creative journey and expanded her artistic perspective. At her Artscape Atelier in Ardsley, NY, Rea cultivates a vibrant art community, continually innovating her practice while empowering fellow artists to achieve their artistic ambitions.
Rachel Harrington
Rachael Harrington Rachael Harrington is a storyteller who performs in arts venues, schools, festivals, and as a guest lecturer at Rutgers University. Performance: Sugarhill Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling, The Story Center at Mid-Continent Public Library. Presenter: The American Library Association, National Storytelling Network Summit. Publications: Storytelling Magazine, School LIbrary Connection, Voices Journal. Member: The National Storytelling Network, NJ Storytelling Network, North East Storytelling, Clutch Full Circle, StateraArts. www.rachaelharrington.com
Adam Hart
Adam has been a fixture of Hastings for 30 years now. As the producer of the RiverArts Music Tour he is connected to the wide array of musicians in the area. Primarily a guitarist and guitar teacher, Adam also plays percussion, bass, and sings. He has been a driving force in the local group Riverrun for over 25 years. With professional design experience Off-Broadway, and at The Met Museum, combined with a love of nature, Adam loves to combine ideas and will share his enthusiasm this summer by creating new rhythms, melodies and harmonies with young people.
Lance Johnson
Art has the power to change the world. Art helps us express ourselves freely. Allows us to creatively share our perspectives and is instrumental in building bridges culturally, racially and economically. As an artist, I use my work to inspire people from all walks of life. Especially young people who live in urban environments. I want them to appreciate where they come from and to embrace the beauty around them but also aspire to greater things. I use vibrant colors, textures and WORDS to inspire the viewer of my work. I use words like DREAM, INSPIRE, SHINE, LOVE, LIVE, CREATE, BEAUTY, PEACE, WISDOM throughout my work to effect emotions in the viewer. I grew up in the Bronx NY and recently moved to Columbus. I was drawn to Cbus because of the collaborative spirit of the art community here and the way the city embraces the arts. It’s so dope to see artists supporting artists and that's what I’m all about. Collaboration and connections. Artlife. ljartlife.com
Nicole Lemelin
Nicole grew up on a horse farm in central Connecticut and began her dance training at Starship Dance Theater. She went on to attend SUNY Purchase College and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance Performance. While in school she had the opportunity to perform works by Adam Barruch, John Hegginbothum, Doug Varone, Rosalind Newman, Bettijane Sills to name a few. Professionally, Nicole has had the distinct pleasure of dancing with Shawn Bible Dance Co, Kathleen Helm and Dancers, Sea Legs Dance, and Hyperspace Dance. Beyond New York City, she has toured internationally to Sri Lanka and Sao Miguel, Azores. Currently, you can catch her joyfully performing with Time Lapse Dance, The RIDE NYC, and the award winning group “Jenny Rocha and The Painted Ladies.” As a dance maker, Nicole has presented her choreographic work at festivals in New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago. She is very excited to join SummerArts and share her joy of dance with her students!
Josh Lewis
Josh Lewis is a director, writer, performer, and educator. He has worked with countless New York theater companies such as the Atlantic Theater Company and Manhattan Theater Club, and was an original cast member and co-writer of C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, which evolved into the Tony Award winning 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. As a founding member of the comedy group, The Bert Fershners, Josh worked frequently with Comedy Central, creating and performing original content for the channel. Josh’s career as an author includes his own children’s book series, Super Chicken Nugget Boy, published by Disney/Hyperion. As an educator, Josh has taught acting, playwriting, and improvisation for over thirty years, instructing students of all ages and creating curriculums for institutions such as NYU, the Atlantic Acting School, Yale School of Drama, Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, New York Film Academy, and the New York City Public School system. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Sleepy Hollow Arts Collective.
Chelsea Michaelis
Chelsea is an art teacher at the Creative Hearts art program in Dobbs Ferry. She studied Studio Art at Bard College and practiced in all different mediums, with a focus on printmaking, collage, and drawing. Since then, she continued her focus on painting and expanded into sculpture as well. She's shown work at Upstream Gallery in Hastings and has had two shows at The Donald Gallery in Dobbs Ferry. Chelsea loves making art with kids and looks forward to teaching at SummerArts.
Marie-Louise Miller
Marie-Louise is a trained stage director and experienced dramaturge, spending over 3 decades working and studying in the theater. Stories and story-telling have been the underpinning of her life as she hiked the Betcho Pass in the Caucasus Mountains, walked through civil wars and lived on beaches in Turkey or the metropolis of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She began working on oral story telling with children in 2015 after returning from living in Sao Paulo Brazil with her family. She began with spinning off Grimm’s tales and has evolved her practice with children to include stories from all over the world, a drum circle led by a master drummer from Ghana and a singer/songwriter from Brazil. Together, with these artists, Marie-Louise has created an original new world for a child’s imagination to play. She is excited to bring her story telling & character-building workshop to River Arts Summer Camp.
Garrett Neergaard
Garrett is thrilled to be coming back to SummerArts for a second summer.
He is a college professor soon to be in full-time mode at SUNY Orange
Community College teaching Public Speaking, Communications, and Theatre.
He has taught Speech and Theatre at the college level for the last
eleven years. He also spent much of his life as an actor working on
projects like HBO’s film adaptation of The Laramie Project,
understudying on Broadway in the play Good People, and playing a
character who yelled a lot on a Hulu show called The Path. He is a proud
father of a soon-to-be six-year-old named, Juniper, and happy husband
to his writer wife. They live in Irvington.
Isabel Oliveras
Isabel is a lover of art. She studied Communications and Art at Pace University, and has experience with sculpture, ceramics, and painting. She began teaching children how to swim as a lifeguard, and now brings her passion for art and working with children together at Creative Hearts in Dobbs Ferry. When Isabel isn't teaching, she's designing and tattooing body decor as a hand-poke tattoo artist. Isabel loves connecting with kids and is so happy to be a part of SummerArts.
Joe Tomasini
Joe Tomasini is a writer and illustrator who has taught for forty years and has created for numerous film, television, theater and entertainment companies, such as Lucas Films, Dreamworks, Laurel Effects, Henson Enterprises, Sally Jessie Raphael Productions, Mattel Toys, Kenner Toys and worked with such talented and notable people as Cleavon Little, Judd Hirsch, Jim Henson, Michael Jackson, Dick Smith, Peter Gabriel and Sylvester Stallone. He is in the process of writing and illustrating children’s novels and a stage play.
Phylisha Villanueva
Phylisha Villanueva is a Belizean-American poet, author, and cultural activist. She is the Westchester County Poet Laureate, a teaching artist for Arts Westchester, a member of the Jazz and Poetry Choir Collective, and Tesoro, an international women's poets' collective. Phylisha is also the co-founder of the Yonkers Writing Group. Phylisha is pursuing her Master of Fine Arts in Poetry at Saint Francis College while serving as a Board advisor and chairperson for the Blue Door Art Center membership committee in Yonkers, NY.