The San Francisco Children's Art Center (SFCAC) is a wonderful studio in the Fort Mason complex. Kids love to go there to hang out, get messy, and let their creative juices flow.
Classes:
SFCAC takes the open-studio approach to teaching art. Their wide range of materials is available for kids to use to create masterpieces. Classes for the younger set include Side by Side (22–26 months), Just for Twos (ages 27 months and up), and the Art Studio class (3- to 5-year-olds), which offers kids the opportunity to work with different media including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and collage.
Big Kid Topic classes for children ages 5 to 10 focus on further developing artistic techniques, different themes, and a variety of media, such as portraiture, painting, drawing, clay, and sculpture.
Most classes run for ten weeks in the spring, summer, fall, and winter. Class fees start at $105; drop-in fees start at $22. Enrollment is ongoing. Early enrollment for the Just for Twos class is encouraged as these classes fill up quickly.
SFCAC also has community outreach programs at several public schools and community centers throughout the city. Scholarships are available, the application can be downloaded from their website.
Camps:
SFCAC is a wonderful place to study art in the summer.
2013 Summer Workshops:
Dates/Workshop/Ages/Times/Cost:
- June 10–June 14: Painting and Drawing, 5½ to 8 years, 1:30pm–4:30pm, $210 per session or $45 per drop-in
- June 17–June 21: Art in the Garden, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm, $270 per session or $58 per drop-in
- June 24–June 28: Clay Time, 5½ to 8 years, 1:30pm–4:30pm, $240 per session or $50 per drop-in
- July 1–July 5 (closed July 4): Land, Sea, and City, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm, $215 per session or $58 per drop-in
- July 8–July 12: Photography Mixed Media, 5½ to 8 years, 1:30pm–4:30pm, $240 per session or $53 per drop-in
- July 15–July 19: Art and Science, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm, $270 per session or $58 per drop-in
- July 22–July 26: Clay Time, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm, $300 per session or $64 per drop-in
- July 29–August 2: Architectural Sculpture, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm, $270 per session or $58 per drop-in
- August 5–August 9: Art in the Garden, 5½ to 8 years, 1:30pm–4:30pm, $210 per session or $45 per drop-in
- August 12–August 16:
*Performance Workshop, 6 to 10 years, 9:30am–12:30pm
*Land, Sea, and City, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm
-- $465 for full day session or $210 for Performance Workshop only or $270 for Land, Sea, and City only
-- $105 per full day drop in; $45 for Performance Workshop drop in; $58 for Land, Sea, and City drop in
- August 19–August 23:
*Performance Workshop, 5½ to 8 years, 9:30am–12:30pm
*Puppet Theater, 5½ to 8 years, 1:30pm–4:30pm
-- $405 for full day session or $210 for Performance Workshop only or $210 for Puppet Theater only
-- $85 per full day drop in; $45 for Performance Workshop drop in; $45 for Puppet Theater drop in
- August 26–August 30: Photography Mixed Media, 6 to 10 years, 1:30pm–5:30pm, $300 per session or $64 per drop-in
2012–2013 Winter Break Mini-Camps
Dates: December 26–December 28, January 2–January 4
Days/Times: Wednesdays through Fridays
Ages/Times/Cost:
- Just for Twos: 9am–10am, drop-in $22
- Art Studio: ages 3 to 5, 10:30am–12:30pm, drop-in $30
- Performance Workshop: ages 5 to 10; 9:30am–12:30pm, drop-in $45
- Art Studio: ages 5 to 10, 1pm–4pm, drop-in $45
- Performance Workshop and Art Studio: ages 5 to 10; 9:30am–4pm, drop-in $85
2013 Spring Break Mini-Camp
Dates: March 25–March 29
Days: Monday through Friday
Ages/Times/Cost:
- Art Studio: ages 3 to 5, 10am–noon, $275 or drop-in $30
- Art in the Garden: ages 5.5 to 10, 1pm–4pm, $210 or drop-in $45
- Performance Workshop (partnership with Young Performer's Theatre): ages 5.5 to 10, 9:30am–12:30pm, $210 or drop-in $45
*Combined Art in the Garden and Performance Workshop: $405 or drop-in $85
Celebrations:
SFCAC provides space for birthday parties on Saturdays from 2pm–4pm and Sundays at 11am or 2pm for kids ages 2 to 10. The package includes two or three teachers and use of the studio and art supplies. Activities include collage, drawing, printmaking, and play dough. Each child also gets a coupon for a free art class. Fees run from $260–$340 for a two-hour party for ten children. Larger parties of up to 20 children are available for $340–$370.