Where Creativity Meets Communitity

Join us at The W for a summer of art, self-care, and connection. A supportive space for young artists to lead, learn, and grow.

These programs are FREE and take place at The W, 20 Dickson St Unit 101 in downtown Galt. The W is YWCA Cambridge’s community-based program space, home to employment and youth programs. Programs are free and will include snacks, materials and outings into the community. 

We believe art is more than just paint on a page—it’s how we communicate, resolve conflict, and understand ourselves.

Key Activities:

• Daily Community Outings: Exploring local galleries, trails, and Galt’s hidden gems.

• Skill-Building Workshops: From emotional literacy and consent to communication and resilience.

• Youth-Led Projects: Participants help shape the activities, ensuring their voices are the loudest in the room.

Summer programs are hands-on, arts-based and full of opportunities for youth to explore their creativity and learn new skills in a safer learning environment. Programs are intentionally designed for youth, encouraging belonging and connectedness, critical thinking, communication and increased feelings of self-confidence.  

Campers Will Learn

• New art concepts and practices, such as various painting techniques, clay work, drawing and sketching, collage and mixed media, and STEAM projects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math)
• Ways to take care of themselves, each other and their communities
• How to build safer spaces and healthy relationships!

Participants and their families will receive information about the camps they are registered for in the weeks leading up to each camp. These details will include any scheduled outings and details about pick-up and drop-off. 

What do you need to bring to camp?

• Campers are encouraged to come in comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting a little messy! 
• A reusable water bottle
• A hat 
• Sunscreen (we will also have some on hand for outings)

Programs are guided by a unique program philosophy grounded in four principles:

Participant-led: participants are involved in the development, design, delivery and evaluation of programs, ensuring they are meaningful and relevant based on the participants interests, intersections and lived experiences.

Participant-focused: programs are attentive to the specific needs and experiences of participants. Participants are introduced to positive role models who invite youth to share their experiences through open dialogue and activities, so that they can receive the support they need to challenge harmful stereotypes and experiences.

Strength-based: ensures that the talents and strengths of participants are recognized and opportunities are available for participants to increase these strengths, as well as develop emerging skills. Programs encourage collaborative learning opportunities where participants can share their thoughts and ideas with one another.

Intersectional Feminist Framework: Programs and facilitators consider the unique identities and abilities of each participant, curating activities that work toward meeting participant’s needs. This intersectional lens ensures that participants are seen and that content is relevant. Programs work to acknowledge that we all have different experiences and identities that shape who we are, and look at how systems of power impact protected groups.