DAAPcamps are summer immersions for middle and high school students to explore their creative passions and build real design skills.
Since 2011, DAAP has welcomed students from across the country to experience hands-on studio work in architecture, fashion, fine art, industrial design, communication design, and more, taught by DAAP faculty, alumni, and guest professionals. Each day at camp includes time spent in the studio, on field trips, and social activities for the perfect mix of practice and inspiration. Whether commuting for a Day Camp or living on campus for a Residential Camp, campers leave with new skills, new friends, and a clearer sense of their creative future.
DAAPcamps 2026 is a wrap! Thank you to the campers, families, Camp Leads, and House Leads who made this summer unforgettable. This summer, DAAP hosted over 300 creative teens from 16 states and more than 100 schools as they got to know DAAP, UC, and the city of Cincinnati. Together, we CREATE WHAT WILL BE!
Join our Early Notification List to stay up to date and the first to know when Summer 2027 registration opens in March!
Browse the video series below for a real look at what campers make, explore, and experience across all three DAAPcamps programs.
Grade 10-12 · Live on campus · $1,575
At DAAPcamps High School Residential Camps, you'll spend the week living on campus, working on immersive studio projects, exploring Cincinnati’s creative scene, and building unforgettable friendships. Taught by DAAP faculty, alumni, guest professionals, and staffed by current students, each camp offers a true pre-college experience.
Grade 9-12 · Commute daily · $550
High School Day Camps at DAAP offer rising 9th–12th grade students a hands-on introduction to the skills and thinking behind a variety of creative careers. Campers dive into studio-based experiences in areas like Digital Moviemaking, Business of Fashion, Drawing Intensive, Urban Planning, Ceramics and Printmaking, Textile Design, and the DAAP Sampler. (New subject-matter is considered on an annual basis and we will update if added).
Grade 6-8 · Commute daily · $400
Very often the beginning of an interest in a creative academic or career pursuit has its seeds planted in Middle School. Middle School Day Camp at DAAP is designed for rising 6th–8th grade students who are curious about exploring their creativity through hands-on projects and artistic expression. Campers engage with a variety of mediums and techniques, encouraging exploration, collaboration, and personal growth.
| Name of Camp | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Interior Design | $1575 | |
| Communication Design (Graphic, Digital, Motion) | $1575 | |
| Fashion Design | $1575 | |
| Fine Art Studio | $1575 | |
| Industrial Design | $1575 | |
| Footwear Design* | $1575 |
| Camp Type | Name of Camp | Time | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High School | DAAP Sampler | 9:00am-5:00pm | $550 | |
| High School | City Design (Urban Planning) | 9:00am-5:00pm | $550 | |
| High School | Drawing Intensive | 9:00am-5:00pm | $550 | |
| High School | Business of Fashion | 9:00am-5:00pm | $550 | |
| High School | Animation | 9:00am-5:00pm | $550 |
| Camp Type | Name of Camp | Time | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School | Art Studio | 9:30am-4:30pm | $400 |
*Please also note, lunches must be brought from home during Day Camps and are not provided by the camp.
C.A.M.P. Cincinnati Architecture Mentoring Camp
C.A.M.P. Cincinnati is a week-long opportunity, independent from DAAPcamps, where rising 8th and 9th grade students explore architecture and interior design through drawing exercises and hands-on model building projects. It is organized and taught by DAAP School of Architecture and Interior Design faculty and students, along with local architects. The program is proud to partner with the Cincinnati chapters of the American Institute of Architects and the National Organization of Minority Architects.
DAAP Workshops
DAAP invites the UC community and the public to experience hands-on workshops throughout the year in one of our state-of-the-art labs and studios. From wheel throwing and printmaking to clay decorating and copper etching, there are plenty of creative options to pursue.
Laurie Wilson founded DAAPcamps in 2011, and the program has grown every year since - welcoming nearly 300 creative teens to campus in 2025 alone. As DAAPcamps has grown, it's earned coverage from local news, UC's own newsroom, and beyond. Here's some of the latest:
June 25, 2025
DAAPcamps founder and UC faculty member Laurie Wilson speaks to Fox 19 on the history and success of DAAPcamps. Wilson is an associate director of student affairs and adjunct assistant professor in UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), where the camps have been held since 2011.
October 3, 2024
Laurie Wilson has dedicated a 31-year career to promoting creativity among younger generations inside and outside the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP).
June 28, 2024
A 2011 graduate of design, UC alum Charley Hudak has seen his career trajectory go from intern to creative director for Tiger Woods' new athletic footwear brand, Sun Day Red. While he may run with the biggest cat in golf, Hudak doesn't forget his Bearcat roots and comes back each summer to teach youth about footwear design at DAAP Camps.
A limited number of scholarships are available based on merit and need. We're grateful to the generous donors who help make DAAPcamps possible:
To apply for a scholarship, you must first register for DAAPcamps. Once you register, you can apply.
If you're chosen for a scholarship, the funds go straight toward your camp tuition after you accept the offer.
Questions? Email daapcamps@uc.edu.
Please Note: If a camper’s parent or grandparent is a UC Employee, you may request the UC Employee Discount of 15%. in 2027, please reach out to Conference & Event Services at event.services@uc.edu. You will be provided with the steps for registration that includes your UC indentification number (M#).
Any questions? Contact us: daapcamps@uc.edu
Stay connected to all things DAAP via Instagram @uc_daap
We hope to see YOU in 2027 summer at DAAP where Together, We Create What Will Be!
