Day Camps
DAAPcamps began in the summer of 2011. It has grown each summer and now hundreds of students join us from all over the country and internationally to explore the disciplines at DAAP. The Camp Leads are comprised of faculty and professionals in the individual industries of Fashion Design and Business, Industrial Design, Footwear Design, Graphic Communication Design, Architecture and Interior Design, Fine Art disciplines, Gaming and Animation, and Digital Filmmaking.
For the Summer of 2025, we have a tremendous lineup of camp offerings! Studios are comprised of a combination of hands-on work, visits with professionals, individual and team problem-solving and design initiatives and more. Registration is now closed.
DAAPcamps students
High School Day Camps
- June 9-13, 2025 – 9:00am Dropoff, 5:00pm Pickup at DAAP
- For rising 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students
High school day camps give another opportunity for rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors to have a closer look at the skills utilized in various creative careers. Day DAAPCamps are offered in Digital Moviemaking, Business of Fashion, Drawing Intensive, Urban Transformers (Urban Planning), DAAP Sampler, Ceramics and Printmaking, and Textile Design, (new subject-matter is considered on an annual basis and we will update if added).
Each camp is predominantly hands-on studios but also includes fieldtrips, speakers, and more. Grab a friend and come spend the week with us!
**Lunches are brought from home each day.
Do you dream of animating a movie? Are you always drawing “characters” that might star in their own series or game? Dive into the world of animation with lessons on character jumps, kicks, and runs from seasoned veterans in the field This is your chance to unleash your creativity, learn from the best, and kickstart your journey into the dynamic realms of animation Join us and receive hands-on instruction by UC instructors, such as Camp Lead, Mike Gasaway, Creative Animation Director for Jimmy Neutron, the movie and series! You will learn from real-world experience as he explains the world of animation using the latest techniques and technology. Learn the full process of making an animated motion picture, from storybording to post-production as you work to create your first animated characters. This is a great example of what our new Games and Animation major in the school of Fine Arts is all about! A week of fun doing what you love!
Camp Lead: Mike Gasaway
Join us for a week-long adventure investigating and experiencing the excitement of the fashion industry. Experience what it is like to dream up an idea for a fashion-related product or business,and then translate it into a viable opportunity. Learn about the "inside" of the business from professionals in trend research to creative marketing to social media influencing and fashion events. Express your personal style creativity with the Business of Fashion. This camp is a great introduction to a new Fashion Business Major being launched in 2026 at UC!
Camp Lead: A Fashion Business Professional
DAAPcamps Business of Fashion
Do you want to make a difference in the world? Did you know that more than half of the world lives in cities? Join us and fellow urban transformers for a week-long exploration of cities and nature and how they work together! Research the built and the natural environment around you. Visit public parks and gardens. Meet community leaders and landscape architects. Explore Cincinnati. Create your own maps and city models using a variety of media at the City Design Day Camp. You’ll learn what it takes to positively change your community and create livable, green, and sustainable cities. Change the world with us!
Camp Lead: Jessica Frazier, DAAP Faculty
Whether your passion is graphic design, architecture, interior design, fashion, animation, or any other design discipline, excellent drawing skills will be your constant companion. This camp will provide you with the opportunity to explore a wide range of drawing experiences, including cast drawing, figure drawing, sculpture from the figure and master copies. No prior experience is needed. All work produced during your week in the Drawing Intensive will be geared toward supplementing your portfolio for school or scholarship/award applications that may be in your future. Come Draw With Us!
Camp Lead: Samantha Haring
This camp has been FILLED*
DAAP Camps Drawing Intensive
One of the huge benefits of being a student at DAAP is having access to amazing facilities, studio/lab spaces and equipment. It is within 2 of those spaces that this new High School Day Camp offering will be held. Campers will create in our full service ceramics lab when they will acquire skill in hand-building, coil pots and also try a bit of wheel throwing. The printmaking studio will be home to a variety of printmaking formats from block printing to self-designed screen printing. These experiences and more will fill campers’ day, all the while gaining confidence in their own abilities and experimenting with new ideas. Come join us for this brand-new DAAPcamp!
The DAAP Sampler Camp is an experience for students who want an overview and a short dive into of the various disciplines offered at DAAP, including some of the foundational aspects that underscore all curriculum.
Each day will be divided into morning and afternoon sessions including an overview of the major, a discussions with professionals, a Q &A and a hands-on experience if it is applicable. You will also experience foundational aspects such as drawing, sketching, problem-solving individually and in small groups. Come prepared for insights and discovery.
Disciplines discussed will include Communication Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Urban Design/Horticulture, Architecture/Interior Design and more. Remember, we are only highlighting these topics in a few hours each. If you feel that you want to dig deeper and understand at a deeper level, please sign up for one of our other day or residential camps in a specific subject or discipline of design.
Camp Lead: Daily guests/leads are teachers or professionals in each major/field explored.
Middle School Day Camps - FILLED
Thank you for your interest! Our Middle School camps have reached full capacity and are no longer accepting registrations. Please check back for future opportunities or explore our other available programs.
- June 9-13, 2025 – 9:30am Dropoff, 4:30pm Pickup at DAAP
- For Rising 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Students
Very often the beginning of an interest in a creative academic or career pursuit has its seeds planted in Middle School. Pure creativity and joy come from expressing oneself through artistic activities and projects. The DAAPCamps’ Middle School Day Camp features a variety of projects that expose the campers to various mediums and techniques to keep campers engaged and inspired. This camp will promote conversations and teamwork among the participants and will provide the opportunity to receive personal feedback on how to develop and enhance craft and skill. Our Camp CREW for Middle School are in tune with this stage of creative exploration and will motivate and encourage campers to explore and experience! Bring your friend, sign up for Middle School Day Camp!
**Lunches are brought from home each day.
Camp Lead: Julie Morrill / Edward Victor Sanchez
This camp has been FILLED*
Middle School Camp
Other Camp Opportunities
C.A.M.P. Cincinnati Architecture Mentoring Camp
- July 2025 - Dates announced this fall
- For rising 8th and 9th grade students
C. A. M. P. is a unique opportunity for middle school students that is separate from DAAPcamps. Architects design the world in which we live, work, and play in and they affect our daily lives in many ways. This camp is a great way to experience what life would be like as an architect or interior designer. The week-long camp experience is for students who will be entering 8th or 9th grade next fall and runs during the day, Monday through Friday, with an exhibit of work and celebration on Saturday.
During the camp, students will explore the creative process of designing buildings through hands-on group projects incorporating drawing exercises and model-building activities. These will be organized and facilitated by UC’s School of Architecture and Interior Design faculty, students, and area architects. The students will have the opportunity to tour architects’ offices and visit some great buildings on UC’s campus and throughout Cincinnati.
The C.A.M.P. is pleased to be able to present this unique experience in partnership with the local chapters of the American Institute of Architects, National Organization of Minority Architects, and the University of Cincinnati's School of Architecture and Interior Design. The C.A.M.P. program was formed in 2006 to improve representation in the field of Architecture and receives generous funding support from the local architecture community and committed individuals.
The program partnership this summer will be with The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. We hope you can join us!
Camp Lead: Melanie Swick
To find out more about the C. A. M. P. opportunity and to apply for acceptance, please visit: Cincyarchcamp.org
Architecture C.A.M.P.