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Creative Camps NC - Forest Park

Creative Camps NC - Forest Park

by Creative Camps NC

Creative Camps NC offers a charming blend of hands-on arts education and nostalgic summer camp vibes in a cozy converted “granny cottage” in downtown Raleigh. Designed for small groups of 4–8 campers, each week fosters meaningful mentorship, outdoor time, and cross-disciplinary creativity. Campers explore a wide range of artistic skills—from floral embroidery and sculpture to meditative watercolor and zine-making—guided by experienced teaching artists who are passionate about cultivating artistic growth and confidence. Whether they’re stitching under a shady tree, sketching downtown architecture, or diving into the layered history behind folk art, campers are encouraged to slow down, unplug, and create with intention. Each themed week is built around both practical skill-building and deeper connections across disciplines like history, creative writing, ecology, and movement. It’s a camp experience inspired by simpler times—like something out of The Parent Trap or Moonrise Kingdom—where joyful learning and creativity take center stage. At Creative Camps NC, kids aren’t just making art—they’re making memories, building confidence, and rediscovering the magic of summer through a lens of curiosity, craftsmanship, and community.

Located in Raleigh

Forest Park Studio
Raleigh, NC

What's offered

Ages
1st - 12th
Offerings
Full dayHalf day (afternoon)Half day (morning)Summer camp

The camp experience

Themes
Creative
Top activities
Arts & craftssewingjewelrydrawingpaintingembroiderymosaicssculpturetie-dyegamesteam-building
Indoor time
Outdoor time
Free play
Structured time
Physically mild
Physically intense

Timing & booking

Register online for weeklong camp sessions or single-day workshops offered at several Raleigh locations. Half-day and full-day options available. The camp also welcomes private bookings for made-to-order camps.

Staffing & leadership

Megan O'Connor Upchurch, Co-Founder & Teaching Artist. Megan is a professional painter with degrees in Art, English, and Museum Studies, and 10+ years of experience as an educator in informal learning environments. She has run camps around the country, including for the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Texas, Henricus Historical Park in Virginia, and Pullen and Cary Arts Centers here in the NC Triangle. She loves themed parties, reading out loud, and almost anything kitschy from the 1970s. megpaints.com Alder Keene, Co-Founder & Teaching Artist. Alder is an artist, educator, and A+ teaching fellow with A+ Schools of NC. With over 10 years of teaching experience in both public and charter schools, Alder has worked with hundreds of students from kindergarten through 12th grade. What she values most is supporting students in finding their artistic voice while also building technical skills and cultivating a sense of community. Alder holds a BFA in Painting and a Masters in Art Education from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She currently is a visual arts teacher at Research Triangle High School in Durham. On weekends, she loves going on hikes. alderkeene.com

About the organization

Website ↗

At Creative Camps, making things with our hands is not only a fulfilling individual pursuit, but a powerful vehicle for connection. With programming for kids and adults, the studio fosters a creative community spirit that is curious, uplifting, and decidedly old-school.

Photo courtesy of Creative Camps NC. All rights retained by copyright holders.