Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts
185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights, NY 11798
About
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts offers summer programs where campers take part in Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Music, Theater, Chess, Nature & Sustainability, and Recreational Arts classes. Programs allow students to focus deeply on one of these areas while also exploring multiple disciplines. Usdan combines the freedom of summer, the beauty of nature, and the exuberance of children and teens exploring and pursuing their creative endeavors without fear of failure.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: 1-, 4-, or 8-week sessions running June 29–August 21, 2026
For over fifty years, Usdan has been described as a one-of-a-kind summer camp experience where young artists find each other, sharing their love of creating as they form deep and lasting friendships. Professional teachers and artists—including actors, directors, playwrights, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers, dancers, poets, and novelists—teach and collaborate with campers. Usdan’s Festival Series showcases the talents of campers in all disciplines as well as distinguished guest performers such as The Knights, Dorrance Dance, Broadway stars, and Lakou Mizik. The camp is a steward of 140 acres of natural beauty and teaches campers the values and practices of sustainability while striving 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 the organization 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. The program is described as a welcoming and inclusive place where campers build new friendships, explore nature, develop personal independence, and have fun alongside their art making. Parents and students are told they can feel confident knowing that Usdan has an environment that provides healthy, developmentally appropriate activities; caring, competent role models; discovery and leadership; service to the community and the environment; and a focus on fun, safety, and meaningful growth.
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. As of December 2025, Usdan is officially an ACA Accredited camp and has voluntarily undergone a thorough review of up to 290 standards by the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey; only one in four camps in the country are ACA certified, and Usdan is one of these. Families and campers have described the camp experience with words such as “magical,” “transforming,” “unforgettable,” “home,” “awesome,” and “amazing.”
Last updated April 17, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: 1-, 4-, or 8-week sessions running June 29–August 21, 2026
For over fifty years, Usdan has been described as a one-of-a-kind summer camp experience where young artists find each other, sharing their love of creating as they form deep and lasting friendships. Professional teachers and artists—including actors, directors, playwrights, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers, dancers, poets, and novelists—teach and collaborate with campers. Usdan’s Festival Series showcases the talents of campers in all disciplines as well as distinguished guest performers such as The Knights, Dorrance Dance, Broadway stars, and Lakou Mizik. The camp is a steward of 140 acres of natural beauty and teaches campers the values and practices of sustainability while striving 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 the organization 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. The program is described as a welcoming and inclusive place where campers build new friendships, explore nature, develop personal independence, and have fun alongside their art making. Parents and students are told they can feel confident knowing that Usdan has an environment that provides healthy, developmentally appropriate activities; caring, competent role models; discovery and leadership; service to the community and the environment; and a focus on fun, safety, and meaningful growth.
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. As of December 2025, Usdan is officially an ACA Accredited camp and has voluntarily undergone a thorough review of up to 290 standards by the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey; only one in four camps in the country are ACA certified, and Usdan is one of these. Families and campers have described the camp experience with words such as “magical,” “transforming,” “unforgettable,” “home,” “awesome,” and “amazing.”
Last updated April 17, 2026.
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