Sitka Fine Arts Camp is marking its 52nd year as an organization offering arts education and experiences in Sitka to kids from around the United States.
Last summer, students came from 40 Alaskan communities, 22 states, and 6 countries attended.
But whether they were from Pittsburgh, Utqiagvik, or South Korea, they found common ground on a historic college campus studying visual arts, music, theater, dance, writing and Alaska Native arts.
For the last half century the Sitka Fine Arts Camp has dedicated its mission to make sure Alaska kids have access to high-quality arts – arts they might not have access to in their own home communities, said Roger Schmidt, executive director of the camp.
One camper, from a village of 200, “said she didn’t know the arts were something people did in Alaska,” Schmidt said. “It was amazing for her to come to Sitka and find a place to sing.”
Dozens of classes are taught by nationally recognized artists in disciplines of theater, dance, music, creative writing and the visual arts.
Among them is Pulitzer-prize winning comic artist Medar de la Cruz, who uses comics as a way of bringing attention to social justice issues while also exploring new ways to tell stories that can only be told visually; Kaasteen Jill Meserve is a Lingít artist who specializes in beadwork, and Ravenstail weaving; and Leslie Shows, a painter whose work has been featured at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Offerings from year to year include Shakespeare, Symphonic Band, clowning, ballet, acrobatics, orchestra and ceramics.
No previous experience is needed for most of the classes.
Sessions are available for all age groups. June 9-13 includes a multidisciplinary morning Elementary Camp for grades K-5; Middle School Camp is June 15-28; High School Camp is June 29-July 13; and High School Musical Theater Camp is July 14-August 3, featuring public performances of SpongeBob the Musical on August 1 & 2.
The 20-acre campus was given to Alaska Arts Southeast – which runs the camp – on Feb. 1, 2011. Sheldon Jackson College, a four-year liberal arts institution, had closed its doors in 2007, but the campus came back to life that spring with volunteers pitching in to restore dorms, academic buildings, a performance space, and a student center in time for the first camp.
The campus has continued to evolve with new programs and more than 50,000 volunteer hours contributing to revitalizing the historic facilities.
“This will be our 14th summer on our new campus. It’s been thrilling to work with the community to bring life back. This summer will be full of great activities for all ages,” Schmidt said.
The camp has been raising money and making the most of volunteers to restore the campus.
Dozens of those volunteers also fixed up Hames Center, an athletic center with basketball court, racquetball court, aerobics equipment and weight room. It’s open to the public.
Sheldon Jackson Campus, on the way from town to Sitka National Historical Park, is one of the most architecturally prominent set of buildings in Alaska.
The school was founded in 1878 by Presbyterian missionaries and educator Sheldon Jackson. Until the doors closed, the school was the oldest continuously operated educational institution in Alaska. The main part of the campus was designed in the Craftsman style by a prominent New York City architecture firm, Ludlow and Peabody, and completed by 1911. The core campus and 17 of its buildings became listed as a National Historic Landmark in 2001.
SJC had taken several incarnations over the years, as an industrial training school for the Tlingit populations, a mission school for elementary children, a boarding high school, a junior college and, finally, a four-year liberal arts institution.
Alaska Arts Southeast now owns most of the campus, but other non-profits also own buildings, including Sitka Music Festival, Sitka Counseling, Sitka Sound Science Center, Youth Advocates of Sitka, and Sheldon Jackson Child Care Center.
The Hames Center is open to the public, and offers fitness classes as well as open hours for working out. Hours are 5-9 a.m., noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Volunteers and donations are welcome in the effort to revitalize the campus, Schmidt said. Those interested may call the camp at (907) 747-3085 or visit www.fineartscamp.org.
