Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center’s annual summer arts camp is about to get a whole lot bigger. That’s because the MACC is joining forces with Nōssi College of Art and Design to launch a new Summer Teen Art Immersive program.
The four-week program, which runs June 3 to June 28, 2024, will offer 17 different camps to students ages 13 and up. Courses will include acrylic painting, digital art, photography and many of the other core disciplines found in visual arts programs. But the inaugural Summer Teen Art Immersive camp will also explore more specialized topics, such as culinary arts and architectural design.
All Summer Immersive classes will be held at Nōssi College in Nashville. These courses have long been needed, says Cheryl Strichik, the MACC’s executive director.
“People tend to associate Monthaven’s summer camp with younger children,” says Strichik. “They assume that teens are mostly doing sports or working jobs during the summer, but many teens are also looking for something creative to do. This new immersive camp provides teens with arts education that’s on their level.”
Cyrus Vatandoost, Nōssi’s president, agrees the program fills an important niche. “Nōssi College is excited to partner with the MACC to expand creative opportunities for high school students,” says Vatandoost. “Our campus facilities are the perfect place for their exploration.”
That’s especially true when it comes to cooking. Nōssi offers an associate’s degree in the culinary arts. Chef Anthony Mandriota, chair of Nōssi’s culinary program, will teach two Teen Immersive courses.
In The Great Bake-Off, Chef Mandriota introduces fundamental concepts, including biscuit, creaming, and muffin methods. Students will also learn yeast-raised dough mixing methods, pie dough, quick dough and cookie dough.
In Savory Sensations, students explore the use of ingredients in the preparation of traditional and contemporary cuisine. Sautéing, grilling, braising, and roasting skills are enhanced. The concepts of mise en place, timelines, plate presentation, and teamwork are introduced and stressed. Students will work up to producing full course meals.
Nōssi College of Art Professor James Edwards will introduce students to the world of professional architecture in the course Designing Dreams. Students will work with architectural drawing tools, learn the architectural design process, and develop design and presentation drawings for a project.
Other highlights of this summer’s teen camp include a comprehensive course in fashion design along with a performing arts course, which will culminate with a staged performance of Finding Nemo.
“We’ve wanted to offer many of these specialty course for a long time but didn’t have the facilities,” says MACC Deputy Director Tonya Mirtes. “Our partnership with Nōssi has doubled our space and elevates our summer program to a whole new level.”