Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts, 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights, NY 11798
About
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts offers activities in Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater, Chess, Nature & Sustainability, and Recreational Arts. Campers can focus on a single artistic area or explore multiple disciplines through these programs. Usdan’s Festival Series features the work of campers in all disciplines along with guest performers such as The Knights, Dorrance Dance, Broadway stars, and Lakou Mizik.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with 1-, 4-, or 8-week sessions running June 29–August 21, 2026
For over fifty years, Usdan has been a one-of-a-kind summer camp experience. The camp is described as a welcoming and inclusive place where campers can build new friendships, explore nature, develop personal independence, and have fun alongside their art making. Parents and campers refer to the camp as an oasis and describe it as “magical,” “transforming,” “unforgettable,” and “home.”
Professional teachers and artists—including actors, directors, playwrights, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers, dancers, poets, and novelists—teach and collaborate with campers. Usdan is a summer day program for grades K–12 that serves campers ages 5 to 18 from Long Island and New York City. The organization describes itself as stewards of 140 acres of natural beauty and teaches campers the values and practices of sustainability, with a stated goal to become a fully sustainable organization by 2030.
Usdan’s mission states that it invites people of all ages to experience the natural beauty of its campus and the transformative power of the arts, and that it was founded on Jewish values that inspire efforts to make the world more just and more beautiful. The mission also states that the goal is to instill in its community a desire and drive to contribute creatively to the world now and for the rest of their lives.
As of December 2025, Usdan is officially an ACA Accredited camp and has voluntarily undergone a review of up to 290 standards by the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey. The camp notes that only one in four camps in the country are ACA certified, and that Usdan is one of these. Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Families can text 631-646-1677 with enrollment questions or to schedule a one-on-one phone call, call the office at 631-643-7900, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Last updated July 29, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with 1-, 4-, or 8-week sessions running June 29–August 21, 2026
For over fifty years, Usdan has been a one-of-a-kind summer camp experience. The camp is described as a welcoming and inclusive place where campers can build new friendships, explore nature, develop personal independence, and have fun alongside their art making. Parents and campers refer to the camp as an oasis and describe it as “magical,” “transforming,” “unforgettable,” and “home.”
Professional teachers and artists—including actors, directors, playwrights, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers, dancers, poets, and novelists—teach and collaborate with campers. Usdan is a summer day program for grades K–12 that serves campers ages 5 to 18 from Long Island and New York City. The organization describes itself as stewards of 140 acres of natural beauty and teaches campers the values and practices of sustainability, with a stated goal to become a fully sustainable organization by 2030.
Usdan’s mission states that it invites people of all ages to experience the natural beauty of its campus and the transformative power of the arts, and that it was founded on Jewish values that inspire efforts to make the world more just and more beautiful. The mission also states that the goal is to instill in its community a desire and drive to contribute creatively to the world now and for the rest of their lives.
As of December 2025, Usdan is officially an ACA Accredited camp and has voluntarily undergone a review of up to 290 standards by the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey. The camp notes that only one in four camps in the country are ACA certified, and that Usdan is one of these. Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Families can text 631-646-1677 with enrollment questions or to schedule a one-on-one phone call, call the office at 631-643-7900, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Last updated July 29, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.