A season for creativity: rounding up summer art camps and classes in the UAE

Here’s a rounds up of some of the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah art camps and classes for children on offer this summer.

Abu Dhabi

Art Beat Summer Camp, near Mushrif Mall

• July 20-August 27, ages 4+

Beat the heat at Art Beat this summer with the art camp. Children will enjoy three activities per day including painting, drawing, jewellery-making, clay modelling and creating crafts from recyclables. Classes are divided into age groups of 4-12 years, 13-18 years and adults.

• Price: Dh150 per day (five hours)

• Classes: Sunday to Wednesday from 9am to 2pm

• Call 02 444 5135 or visit www.artbeatad.com

Watercolour and Still Life Painting, Abu Dhabi Art Hub, Mussaffah

• June 1-12, all ages

Learn how to use watercolours and to draw still life with the ­Italian artist Mariya Giovanna Ambrosone. The teacher will begin with the basics and cover important elements such as image composition.

• Classes are held in two sessions from 11am to 3pm, and 5pm to 8pm

• Dh150 per lesson including all materials

• Email bundur.adah@outlook.com

Egg Painting, Abu Dhabi Art Hub, Mussaffah Industrial Zone

• June 3-4, ages 10+

Using a special technique and food colouring, vinegar and heated wax, participants will learn how to paint real eggs in detail.

• Classes are held in two sessions from 10am to 1pm and 6pm to 8pm

• Maximum of seven per class

• Dh100 per lesson including all materials

• Email bundur.adah@outlook.com

• Regular art classes are also available all year round at N2N Gallery’s other branch in Al Ain Towers

Indoor Children’s Workshop, Mushrif Park

• Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday throughout June and July, ages 5-12

Held in the park’s indoor exhibition hall, the workshops are organised by Merry Makers and include silk painting, magic tricks, personalised bunting, and making a gingerbread house.

• Maximum 30 children per workshop

• Dh150 for two hours

• 10am to 12pm, 1pm to 3pm, and 4pm to 6pm

Sharjah

Various Classes, Maraya Art Centre, Al Qasba, Sharjah

• June-August, ages 6-11

The centre offers regular workshops in varied disciplines such as animal mask making, 3D collage, stop motion animation, marble and glass painting and mosaic art.

• Classes are usually held from 11am to 12.30pm but times may vary

• Dh30 for one hour

• Contact Maraya Art Centre on 06 556 6555 or email rsvp@maraya.ae

Dubai

Bon Discovery Studios: Photography & Design Intensive, GPP Gallery, Alserkal Avenue

• August 9-20, ages 14-18

Dubai gallery Gulf Photo Plus and Bon Education have joined to launch a summer programme for high-school students, teaching them the basics of life in the professional field. As well as intensive training, field trips, daily coaching, leadership development and guest speakers, participants will tackle challenges such as a client-commissioned fashion shoot, a car and motorcycle shoot, portraits for a fine-arts exhibition and more.

• Participants must have their own camera. To borrow a DSLR from GPP costs an extra Dh1,000

• Dh12,500 for 70 hours including sessions, lunch, snacks, extra equipment and certificate of completion

• www.bondiscoverystudios.com

Beginners Drawing and Painting Classes, Alif Gallery, Park Towers, DIFC

• Ongoing, ages 13+

Alif Gallery, Dubai’s only gallery dedicated to Central Asian art, is hosting classes for beginners with a passion for art. Uzbek teacher Ekaterina Kovshova will first introduce students to key drawing and painting materials such as pastels, oils, watercolours and acrylics, and then move on to simple techniques. The class structure allows students to improve their skills over time and includes a visit to DIFC’s Gate Village to view art exhibitions and enter into class discussions.

• Every Saturday and Monday from 10am to 3pm

• Dh150 for three hours. Not inclusive of materials

• Call 04 3859897 or visit www.alifartgallery.ae

Summer Camp, Tashkeel, Nad Al Sheba

• August 16-27, ages 8-14

With a different activity every day, children will be taken through a variety of artistic techniques including Batik, or wax-dying, screen printing, how to make and use a pin-hole camera, illustration, mono-printing and lessons in making the sketchbook.

• Between 10am and 1pm

• Dh250 per session or Dh1,150 for a one-week package, Dh2,200 for a two-week package; all materials included

aseaman@thenational.ae