Inclusive arts camp for teens and young adults with autism and related disabilities explores the world of computer animation

Registration opens May 3 for the “Animation Gets Real Miami 2021,” summer bootcamp for teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities.  The virtual camp explores the exciting world of animation and filmmaking as students learn real life skills, including animation; writing and editing; storyboarding; and iPad music making. The registration deadline is May 19, 2021 and can be completed online.

The virtual camp sessions will be held on June 14 - 18, 2021 and June 21 - 25, 2021 via Zoom. The program is appropriate for students ages 13-22 with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities who can follow instructions, independently communicate, and participate in a virtual group setting. Program fees are $50 per one-week session for Miami-Dade County residents and $300 per one-week session for non-residents.  Scholarships are available to Miami-Dade County residents who qualify for free or reduced lunch or receive SNAP benefits. Space is limited to 30 participants per session. For registration information visit the website or email [email protected].

The camp is presented by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs All Kids Included in partnership with Arts4All Florida and Arts for Learning/Miami.

About the Instructors:

Dani Bowman, animator, author, and entrepreneur will impart her animation skills while exuding enthusiastic inspiration to students with disabilities.  Dani has ASD, Asperger’s Syndrome Disorder and has been teaching animation for 9 years since she founded her company Powerlight Studios in Los Angeles, CA.

Dr. Clint Randles, Assistant Professor of Music Education at University of South Florida and a VSA Florida teaching artist in the Tampa Bay area, teaches iPad music, an innovative musical art form that can be adapted to everyone.  Dr. Randles teaches pre-service music teachers, works with local school districts, and conducts research on the place of creativity in the music curriculum.

Arts4all Florida:  Arts4All Florida provides, supports, and champions arts education and cultural experiences for and by people with disabilities. A private not-for-profit organization, Arts4All Florida conducts art education programs in schools, Department of Juvenile Justice facilities, and community centers; promotes the accomplishments of artists with disabilities through our artist registry, exhibitions, and performances; and increases access to the arts through professional development workshops. Arts4All Florida is headquartered in the College of Education at the University of South Florida. www.arts4allflorida.org

All Kids Included (AKI), an initiative of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, promotes inclusive arts and cultural programs in school settings and throughout the community enabling kids of all abilities and their families to participate fully in the arts.  The program continually raises the bar with excellence in programming that demonstrates and promotes the benefit and importance of inclusionary arts and cultural programs for children and youth. It is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners and funded in part through a grant provided by The Children’s Trust.  The Children's Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County by making strategic investments in their future.

About Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, diversity, and participation throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting equitable opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors who are their audiences. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Peacock Foundation, Inc., and The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation. Other support and services are provided by TicketWeb for the Culture Shock Miami program, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Florida Cultural Consortium, and the Tourist Development Council. For more information, please visit www.miamidadearts.org.