There’s something special about summer at Wayne Center for the Arts.
Maybe it’s the energy in the building, the sense that anything could happen. The quiet hum of creativity turning into laughter, color, movement, and hands-on making. Or maybe it’s that feeling you get when you walk through the doors and think, “What are we going to create today?”
Our Summer Camps are designed to capture exactly that feeling.
A Chance to Try Something New
Summer at WCA looks a little different than our regular sessions. Instead of meeting once a week over several weeks, our camps are short, focused experiences, four or five days of creative exploration packed into a single week. That means students don’t have to commit to a long session to try something new. They can jump in, explore a new medium, and discover what they love, all in a fun, low-pressure environment that fits into busy summer schedules. For some students, it’s a chance to sample something they’ve never tried before. For others, it’s an opportunity to dive deeper into something they already love.
Either way, it’s about exploration, creativity, and confidence.
Hands-On, Creative, and Full of Possibility
Our camps are built around hands-on experiences, where students are encouraged to experiment, make mistakes, and try again. There’s no pressure to be perfect, just space to explore, create, and grow.
Whether students are working with clay, paint, movement, or mixed media, the goal is the same:
to help them discover what they enjoy and give them the confidence to keep creating.
Sew What: A Different Kind of Sewing Camp
One of the most playful and imaginative camps this summer is Sew What, taught by Jaimie Tangen and Mishi Anderson.
At its core, this camp asks a simple question:
What can you sew?
And the answer is, a lot more than you might expect.
Sewing Beyond Fabric
In Sew What, students will explore sewing in creative and unexpected ways.
Of course, there will be fabric, but also felt, cardboard, paper, plastic, beads, and more. Students will experiment with combining materials, layering textures, and turning everyday items into something entirely new. They’ll learn foundational hand sewing techniques and stitches, try embroidery, and get an introduction to machine sewing, all in a way that feels approachable and fun.
This isn’t about following strict patterns or getting everything “right.” It’s about discovering what happens when you start to experiment.
A Creative, Supportive Environment
Instructor Jaimie Tangen brings a thoughtful, encouraging approach to her classes, one that focuses on curiosity and exploration.
Her philosophy is simple:
creativity grows when you give yourself permission to try.
Students are invited to:
experiment with new materials
learn by doing
embrace mistakes as part of the process
and discover what they enjoy along the way
For many, it’s not just about learning to sew, it’s about realizing they can create something from nothing.
Making Something Your Own
There’s something powerful about taking a flat piece of material and turning it into something uniquely yours.
In Sew What, that might look like stitched collage pieces, embellished fabric designs, small sewn objects or creations, or something completely unexpected
Each project becomes a reflection of the student’s ideas, choices, and creativity.
Join Us This Summer
If you’re looking for a creative, hands-on experience for your child or teen this summer, we’d love to have you at Wayne Center for the Arts.