The Value of Teaching Artists and Certified Art Teachers at Cultivate
In the realm of arts education, the presence of two distinct but equally valuable roles, teaching artists and certified art teachers,...
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Summer Art Camps
Summer is the perfect time to nurture your child's creativity!
Our summer art camps for ages 6-12 offer a unique opportunity for elementary kids to explore their artistic side. Through engaging projects and activities, campers will learn new skills and develop their talents. Our experienced art teachers are dedicated to creating a safe, stimulating environment for your child to grow and express themselves through art.
Come join us this summer for an unforgettable camp experience! We are so excited to share our summer art camps for elementary kids! Below are half-day or full-day options.
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Looking for programs for Teens? Check out our Teen Program - going all summer as well!
All Day Summer Art Camps, or Half Day Summer Art Camps in Grand Rapids, Michigan!
Join us for a fun-filled day of art-making and creativity!
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Schedule:
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8am-9am Free open Studio, Before Care, and Drop Off Time
9am-12pm First Session with snacks
12pm-1pm Pickup Time from First Session, free open Studio and Lunch, and Dropoff Time for Second Session
1pm-4pm Second Session
4-5pm Pickup from Second Session, Open Studio for After Camp Care
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Please drop off children 10-15 minutes before class.
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Week of June 12-16:
Classes at Cultivate
Intro to Watercolor
9-12pm
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An introduction to watercolor practices! In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 learn different techniques and practices of watercolor painting! Together we create what we call "postcards" of different techniques, gain familiarity, and then move into more complex ideas and work. This is both a process-based and product based class, where students make work simply to explore the medium, and also make work that they can take home and frame! Students are truly proud of the work created in this course!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 12, 2023
Course Ends: June 16, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Dioramas + Miniature Houses
1-4pm
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Explore and make all things miniature in our dioramas and miniature houses class! In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are invited to make tiny houses, or spaces from their imaginations. Every child makes work from their own imagination, so every piece is different! Students start by sketching their ideas, and teachers work as guides to help them bring it to life. Previous students have made their dream treehouses, dollhouses, ocean scenes, fairy homes, and one made an entire city! Truly this is an exploration in both sculpture and architecture as explore, play, and learn all about different forms of sculpture! Together we will explore paper sculpture, wire sculpture, paper pulp, paper mache, and, of course, clay!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: June 12, 2023
Course Ends: June 16, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of June 12-16
Class at KCAD
Intro to Sculpture
9-12pm
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In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are invited to explore, play, and learn all about different forms of sculpture! Together we will explore paper sculpture, wire sculpture, paper pulp, paper mache, and, of course, clay!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 12, 2023
Course Ends: June 16, 2023
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Location: Kendall College of Art and Design, 17 Fountain St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
Week of June 19-23
Swiss Family Robinson
9-12pm
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Calling all Adventurers for our Swiss Family Robinson Adventure Camp! In this week-long class, students read (or listen to) the Guided Illustrated Classic book of Swiss Family Robinson and do what they do! This is our most popular class every summer, and is a wide array of adventures packed into one week. Kids ages 6-12 will start the morning with 15-20 minutes of listening to the book while they draw, then we spend the rest of the day doing what they did in those chapters! Together we will make rope, build bridges to hold up to 50 pounds!, make our own snacks based on food that they eat in the book, make maps and make them 3d with paper and clay sculpture, and so so much more! We end this week with a fabulous feast and celebration just like the family had.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 19, 2023
Course Ends: June 23, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Intro to Film Photography
1-4pm
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An introduction to the magic of film photography! In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 will learn elements of film photography! We will learn about different types of cameras, including point-and-shoot, SLR, and a variety of vintage camera styles. Students will start the morning with a brief lesson to learn parts of these cameras, but also elements of photography itself - aperture, exposure, shutter speed, and more, to gain fluency in these words and practice. We will gain inspiration and ideas as we look at the work of famous photographers and their unique styles! Then we will spend the rest of the session taking photos! We will tour around the gallery, around the building, and also up and down Wealthy Street. (Students will have the teacher and also two assistants for support) We may even end the week by making our own camera obscuras!
Snacks are included. Kids can use their home cameras or borrow ours!
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: June 19, 2023
Course Ends: June 23, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of June 26-30
Tell Your Story: Autobiographical Illustration
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9-12pm
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How do you tell a story without any words? Let's learn visual storytelling with your own story. In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are welcome to draw a long story or many stories from their own lives. Every student will move through the complete comic drawing process. Every child makes work from their own imagination and stories, so every work is different! Students start by imagining their stories and ideas, and teachers work as guides to help them bring it to life. Previous students have drawn themselves realistically, while others have turned their whole family and friends into different animals. Excitingly, this is a course where students learn to turn what is in their imagination and memory and bring it to life on the page!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 26, 2023
Course Ends: June 30, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Drawing in the City: Perspective Explorations
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1-4pm
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Learn how to draw buildings realistically!
In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 learn how to draw buildings realistically. Drawing is so foundational for every art form - whether it is clay, painting, comic book drawing, collage. It really helps with everything! Learning the face is a practice of observation and a series of measurements. Students learn perspective and measurement as we explore the Wealthy Street area together. Students will each have their own "art kit" of pencils, masonite board, erasers, and more, and we will gain confidence as we build up skills! Doing different drawings of the lamp posts, lines of the street, and working up to building perspectives, it will change how kids see the city around them! Students will gain confidence in their drawing abilities, and finish the week with a beautiful building drawing and several small drawing studies.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: June 26, 2023
Course Ends: June 30, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of June 26-30
Class at KCAD
Manga Drawing
9-12pm
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In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 will learn elements of manga drawing! We will learn about different types of anime and manga drawing, including individual facial features and developing characters. Students will experiment with different materials, including dip pens, illustration markers, inking techniques, and whitening out spaces with paints. Students will learn how to break characters down into shapes, angles that denote the manga style, and understand different poses and clothing. We will gain inspiration and check out all of our favorites - One Punch Man, Sailor Moon, Naruto, and more. Students will finish the week by making a cover page in their debut as a professional manga artist!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 26, 2023
Course Ends: June 30, 2023
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Location: Kendall College of Art and Design, 17 Fountain St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
Week of July 10-14
Make Your Own Comic Book: Start to Finish
9-12pm
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In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are invited to write and draw a complete comic book or graphic novel of their own ideas! Teachers act as guides to the process, sharing storyboarding, story arc, illustration and color techniques and ideas, and support our young writers and artists as they make a complete book. Every child makes work from their own imagination and stories, so every work is different! We professionally laminate and "publish" the book and we will have a reading/share on the last day of class where we invite friends, family, guardians, or caregivers to join us. This is a special day when students read or share the art of their work, we have special snacks, and a celebration of their beautiful work!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: July 10, 2023
Course Ends: July 14, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Fiber Art Fun!
1-4pm
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This class is designed to introduce students to the world of fiber arts, with a focus on exploring various techniques and materials used in creating textile art. This class is different than the course later this summer and will explore different technique and work per day, so kids can sign up for both!
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Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to work with professional textile/fiber artist Gail Long, who will guide them through the basics of fiber arts. They will learn how to dye fabrics using natural ingredients, and then move on to designing and embellishing their own fabrics using a range of techniques.
Students will also have the opportunity to practice shaping and forming characters using wet felting, as well as exploring weaving, cross-stitch, embroidery, applique, and other techniques to create unique and personalized projects. Along the way, they will develop their fine motor skills, creativity, and self-expression.
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At the end of the week, students will have a collection of finished projects to take home, as well as newfound confidence and skills in the world of fiber arts.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 26, 2023
Course Ends: June 30, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of July 10-14
Class at KCAD
Introductory to Photography
9-12pm
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In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 will learn elements of film and digital photography! We will learn about different types of cameras, including point-and-shoot, DSLR and SLR, and a variety of vintage camera styles. Students will start the morning with a brief lesson to learn parts of these cameras, but also elements of photography itself - aperture, exposure, shutter speed, and more, to gain fluency in these words and practice. We will gain inspiration and ideas as we look at the work of famous photographers and their unique styles! Then we will spend the rest of the session taking photos! We will tour around the gallery, around the building, and also up and down downtown. This course is different work than the other photography work this summer, so kids can take them all if they want! (Students will have the teacher and also two assistants for support.
Snacks are included. Kids can use their home cameras or borrow ours!
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: July 10, 2023
Course Ends: July 14, 2023
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Location: Kendall College of Art and Design, 17 Fountain St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
Week of July 17-21
Introduction to Sculpture
9-12pm
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An introduction to all forms of sculpture practices! In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are invited to explore, play, and learn all about different forms of sculpture! Together we will explore paper sculpture, wire sculpture, paper pulp, paper mache, and, of course, clay! This is different lessons and work from the other class this summer, so kids can do both!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: July 17, 2023
Course Ends: July 21, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Mapping the Face: Portrait Explorations
1-4pm
Learn how to draw people realistically!
In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 learn how to draw portraits realistically. Drawing is so foundational for every art form - whether it is clay, painting, comic book drawing, collage. It really helps with everything! Learning the face is a practice of observation and a series of measurements. Instructors break down elements of the face like a map, and day by day we draw different elements and expressions - nose, eyes, mouth, hair, and then spend the last two days putting it all together! Students will gain confidence in their drawing abilities, and finish the week with a beautiful self-portrait and many face studies.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: July 17, 2023
Course Ends: July 21, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of July 24-28
Art Journaling
9-12pm
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Start a fun creative practice with art journaling! Art journaling is many art mediums held in one journal. Some folks call it a sketchbook, but we like journaling because it can include writing, song lyrics, quotes, art, but also movie tickets, pictures of friends, and ideas! In this class, students ages 6-12 start their very own art journals - as we provide prompts of every art medium (painting, drawing, collage, mixed media, etc) but also writing, music, movement, experiments, and do individual and group art ideas! This class is great to get your ideas on paper and get a regular creative practice going! Students start by imagining their stories and ideas, and teachers work as guides to help them bring it to life!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: July 24, 2023
Course Ends: July 28, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Comic Painting and Illustration
1-4pm
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Learn how to do comic illustrations that captivate your audience! In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 create their own comic illustrations! Students are invited to build a visual narrative as they hone into their signature style. Together we will look at old favorites - Dog Man, Captain Underpants, Amulet, favorite superheroes and movies, and identify what makes those styles dynamic. Understanding the language of comics, we will work to make our own, and add color, texture, and design. Every child makes work from their own imagination and stories, so every work is different! Students start by imagining their stories and ideas, and teachers work as guides to help them bring it to life!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: July 24, 2023
Course Ends: July 28, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of July 24-28
Class at KCAD
Fiber Art Fun!
9-12pm
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This class is designed to introduce students to the world of fiber arts, with a focus on exploring various techniques and materials used in creating textile art. This class is different than the course earlier this summer and will explore different technique and work per day, so kids can sign up for both!
​
Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to work with professional textile/fiber artist Gail Long, who will guide them through the basics of fiber arts. They will learn how to dye fabrics using natural ingredients, and then move on to designing and embellishing their own fabrics using a range of techniques.
Students will also have the opportunity to practice shaping and forming characters using wet felting, as well as exploring weaving, cross-stitch, embroidery, applique, and other techniques to create unique and personalized projects. Along the way, they will develop their fine motor skills, creativity, and self-expression.
​
At the end of the week, students will have a collection of finished projects to take home, as well as newfound confidence and skills in the world of fiber arts.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: June 26, 2023
Course Ends: June 30, 2023
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Location: Kendall College of Art and Design, 17 Fountain St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
Week of July 31-August 4
Photography: Scavenger Hunts and Collections
9-12pm
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In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 will use a variety of cameras (point and shoot, digital, smartphone, and film cameras!) to learn and practice photography! We will briefly learn about different types of cameras, including point-and-shoot, film SLR cameras, DSLR cameras, and how they all work, and then really explore our spaces and places around us! We will take photos of various collections in these scavenger hunts - like patterns, lines, and color! We will also practice various perspectives and even do a little portrait photography. We will tour around the gallery, around the building, and also up and down Wealthy Street. (Students will have the teacher and also two assistants for support) We may even do photo collage work from our own photos!
Snacks are included. Kids can use their home cameras or borrow ours!
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: July 31, 2023
Course Ends: August 4, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Paper Relief and Sculpture
1-4pm
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A deeper exploration of paper sculpture!
In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are invited to investigate paper sculpture work a little more! Inspired by STEAM work, our students will be provided a series of beginning to more extensive challenges that invite them to bring their creativity to the table. For example, we will ask how can you make a stamp out of cardboard? Is it possible to make a cupcake using only paper products? Working as individuals and as a group, we will make a variety of new work! Come to explore, play, and learn all about different forms of sculpture!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: July 31, 2023
Course Ends: August 4, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of August 7-11
Characters: Figure and Form
9-12pm
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Use drawing, illustration, and sculpture to make HUGE characters of all kinds! In this week-long class, students ages 6-12 are welcome to explore all sorts of forms and figures in our characters week! Together we will use a variety of sculpture materials to form new figures, design from our imaginations, experiment with set design ideas as we build environments for them! We may even dabble in a little claymation work! We specifically invite kids to SCALE UP and build these characters to be huge. How can we build a life sized cardboard robot, or a giraffe, or other creature? Here we are bringing our imaginations to the table. Different challenges each day means that every work is different and awesome! We will have a share on the last day of class where we invite friends, family, guardians, or caregivers to join us to hear about the favorite characters that we created. This is a special day when students share the art of their work, parents and guardians can meet these big characters, we have special snacks, and a celebration!
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: August 7, 2023
Course Ends: August 11, 2023
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Color Experiments
1-4pm
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Calling all Art Explorers and Scientists! In this week-long class, students will be doing different STEAM (science, tech, engineering, art, and mathematics) color experiments every day. A week of WOW with a range of fun - including paper mache and plaster painting, soundwave art explorations with homemade instruments, sculpture, painting, mixed media, developing cyanotype prints with a darkroom enlarger, collaborative installation art building, and exploding color experiments! We will end the week with an art show to share our creations with family and friends.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm
Course Starts: August 7, 2023
Course Ends: August 11, 2023
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Location: Cultivate, 620 Wealthy St SE
Week of August 7-11
Class at KCAD
Printmaking and Bookmaking
9-12pm
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In this course, students ages 6-12 will be exploring different methods of printmaking and bookmaking. Students will learn how to make handmade books and fill them with their own unique artwork. Throughout the week, kids will focus on learning three different types of printing techniques: relief printing, monoprinting, nature printing, radial symmetry, and collagraph printing.
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Through hands-on activities and experimentation, students will develop your skills in these techniques and learn how to apply them to your own creative projects. Have fun, while they learn how to carve your own relief printing blocks, create one-of-a-kind monoprints, and use natural objects to create beautiful nature prints.
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Throughout the course, students will create three different types of handmade books using these techniques. Each book will be filled with your own unique artwork and demonstrate your mastery of the techniques. For the final project, kids will have the opportunity to choose your favorite printing technique and create a fourth handmade book using this method.
Snacks are included
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Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm
Course Starts: August 7, 2023
Course Ends: August 11, 2023
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Location: Kendall College of Art and Design, 17 Fountain St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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