Frequently Asked Questions
It is not unusual for students of all ages to miss home and family in the first few days of camp, especially if it is a student’s first extended time away from home. Camp staff are trained to recognize homesickness and work especially hard to keep students busy and engaged in the camp atmosphere.
Family and friends are welcome at the evening artshare performances and the final performances, as well as for short visits on the main campus. Visitors must check in with the counseling office upon arrival. Please keep in mind that students are busy and frequent or lengthy visits can make it difficult for students to fully engage in the camp experience.
Call the camp office 907-747-3085 or email office@fineartscamp.org. Please do not create a new account.
Yes, please address mail to:
Student Name
c/o Sitka Fine Arts Camp
121 John Brady
Sitka, AK 99835
The primary responsibility of all camp staff is the safety and well-being of each student. The counselor to camper ration is 1:10. Students must check in twice a day with their counselor and attendance is taken for each class period. During rec time, students occasionally have the opportunity to go downtown. Middle school students must be accompanied by a counselor. High school students may go downtown in groups of 3 or more without a counselor.
The counseling staff consists of a diverse group of talented people whose primary objective is helping students get the most out of the SFAC experience. The majority of our counselors are art students or graduates from various colleges and universities throughout the country.
The single most important aspect in getting the most out of camp is to attend classes well rested and healthy. Students should get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and make healthy eating decisions.
Students are housed in dormitories on the Sheldon Jackson Campus and will share a room with one other student. Rooms are equipped with bunk beds and desks. A shared bathroom is a short walk down the hall. Dorm rooms lock and each student has a key to his or her room. Each student is responsible for keeping his or her room locked and for holding on to the key. There is a $25 fee for lost keys. Boys and girls are separated by dormitory floors and are only permitted on their respective floors. Students may submit the name of one friend on the roommate request portion of the registration form. Lights out is at 10 pm for Middle School Students and at 10:30 for High School Students.
Yes, residential students have the option to do laundry. Students should bring quarters and soap is provided.
Students who come to Camp with a cell phone may call their family to let them know they arrived safely, but are expected to turn it off and store it in their room for the remainder of Camp except during approved calling hours. Most students find their experience more enjoyable without the distraction of a cell phone. Cell phones used during classes, performances, or after lights-out will be confiscated until camp is over. If there is an emergency at home, parents can contact their child by calling the Camp office 907-747-3085.
Absolutely! In fact, the majority of our campers leave on the 6 am flight.
It is better for students to arrive later on the first day of camp. Your child’s counselor will make sure he or she is caught up with orientation and that any auditions are rescheduled. If it is not possible to arrive on the first day of camp and your child must come a day early, please be sure to indicate the arrival day and time on the travel form as well as email the office at office@fineartscamp.org. There is a $50 fee for students who arrive a day early.
SFAC provides complimentary shuttle service for the following Alaska Airline flights: arrival on flights 62, 63, and 67 and departure on flights 62, 68, and 73 on the scheduled arrival and departure days. We will announce the status of complimentary shuttle service for ferry passengers in May. Please make sure you fill out the Travel Form to let the camp office know when and how your student is arriving. It is your responsibility to provide SFAC with this information. For students arriving at other times, please contact our office for information on shuttle and taxi services.
Roger Schmidt (Camp Director), 907-747-3085, office@fineartscamp.org
Yes, students should bring their personal instruments to camp with the exception of: drums and piano. Rock band students should bring guitars but Camp will provide amplifiers. If your student plays an instrument that is difficult to transport to camp, contact the camp office during registration to see if any loaner instruments are available, office@fineartscamp.org.
The two-week intensive camp experience is best suited for students with some prior experience/instruction on their instrument. There are plenty of exploratory opportunities in other disciplines such as theater, writing, and the visual arts.
Students need manual SLR cameras. The Camp has a limited number of loaner cameras available for students who don’t have personal cameras to bring. To use a loaner camera, email office@fineartscamp.org to arrange rental before the session begins.
Students can be checked out through the counseling office by a parent/guardian or a pre-approved adult, 18 years of age or older. Counselors must know when the student is expected back and have a contact phone number for the adult. It is best to call the office the day before to alert the Head Counselor.
The counseling staff does its best to reconnect students with their missing items during Camp. Families are responsible for the shipping and handling expenses should and item need to be returned after the session is over.
In Sitka it can rain for days on end or be sunny for the entire camp. Be prepared for both extremes. Summer temperatures can range from 40-80 degrees. Dressing in layers is recommended.
Yes. We do not keep the Teacher's Recommendations forms year to year. In addition our staff changes and your student changes.
Limited need-based financial aid is available for qualifying students. Contact the Camp Office for more information: 907-747-3085.
