Transitions - Small Schools Creative Arts Camp 2025

🌊 Dive into the ultimate creative adventure at ARTlantis! 🎭🐠

Ahoy, young artists and performers! Are you ready to make a splash and explore the depths of your creativity? At ARTlantis, we’re calling all deep-sea dreamers, oceanic artists, and theatrical tide-turners to embark on an unforgettable underwater odyssey of dance, drama, filmmaking, circus, and visual arts!

Get ready to dive deep into your imagination, make waves with new friends, and bring your artistic treasures to life beneath the sea! Whether you’re flipping into the world of circus, riding the current of storytelling, or painting a masterpiece fit for a mer-legend, there’s something for every ocean explorer.

So, grab your courage like a lifeboat, leave your land-loving worries on shore, and get ready to plunge into creativity at ARTlantis -where the arts and adventure flow together in perfect harmony!

🌟 No snorkel required - just your imagination! See you under the sea! 🎨🐬

For all enquiries, please contact:

Sue Dawson - Arts Coordination Officer

Email: susan.i.dawson@det.nsw.edu.au

Mobile: 0402 992 897

About the camp

What is the Transitions Camp?

Transitions Small Schools Creative Arts Camp is a dynamic 3-day creative arts camp designed for Years 5 and 6 students from NSW public small schools. Open to all students interested in the creative and performing arts, the camp provides an inclusive space for artistic exploration and personal growth.

Why ‘Transitions’?

Starting high school is a big step - especially for students from small schools. Transitions is designed to help students develop the confidence, resilience, and collaborative skills they’ll need in a larger school setting.

Through an immersive creative arts experience, students will:

🔹 Work with a larger, more diverse peer group - building friendships and communication skills that will help them navigate high school social dynamics.

🔹 Step outside their comfort zone - gaining independence and self-reliance in a new environment.

🔹 Develop teamwork and problem-solving skills - learning to collaborate, negotiate, and contribute in a group setting.

🔹 Express themselves creatively - building confidence in their ideas, voice, and ability to adapt to new challenges.

By engaging in the performing arts, students explore and express their hopes and fears about high school in a supportive and inspiring space—helping them feel more prepared, connected, and ready for the transition ahead.

What will students do?

Participants will engage in a diverse range of art forms, including:

🎭 Drama and musical theatre

🎶 Dance

🎪 Circus Arts

🎥 Filmmaking

🎨 Visual Arts & creative crafts

Guided by specialist arts educators, students will develop their creative skills in a fun and supportive environment, leading up to a final showcase performance for teachers, friends, and family.

What will students gain?

✅ Independence & Confidence - Students step beyond their small school community to collaborate with a larger peer group, preparing them for the social and academic challenges of high school.

✅ Connection & Wellbeing - The camp fosters meaningful friendships and connections, enhancing self-esteem, teamwork, and resilience.

✅ Communication & Collaboration - Working in a larger, mixed-school group strengthens students’ ability to express ideas, listen to others, and contribute creatively in workshops and performances.

✅ Creative & Critical Thinking - Through imaginative exploration, problem-solving, and artistic expression, students develop skills that enhance both their academic and personal growth.

A greater engagement in the arts has been shown to positively impact students’ social, emotional, and academic success - this camp is the perfect opportunity to experience that first-hand!

Watch the 2024 Transitions Camp documentary to hear from students about their time at camp. This video was made by the students in the filmmaking project groups at camp.

Transitions Small Schools Creative Arts Camp 2024 - camp doco

Duration: 08:03

Staff

Duty of care will be provided by Departmental staff at the camp. Schools are not required to send a teacher with students to the camp.

Interested small school staff who would like to attend the camp either as a workshop leader or duty of care teacher should contact Sue Dawson to discuss the options available.

Camp information

For 2025, we’re expanding our reach with two fantastic venue options:

Warramubi Retreat and Conference Centre, Murrumbateman
Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Centre, Lake Burrendong

These locations ensure that more students can participate in this transformative experience closer to home. Choose the one that best suits you!

TSSCAC - Warrambui

Dates

Monday 28 July to Wednesday 30 July 2025 (Term 3 Week 2)

Arrival time: 8:30 am to 9:00 am Monday 28 July 2025 - Warrumbai Retreat and Conference Centre

Pickup time: 4:00 pm Wednesday 30 July 2025 - Warrambui Retreat and Conference Centre(following the end of camp showcase)

Venue

Warrambui Retreat and Conference Centre
322 Greenwood Road, Murrumbateman
Phone: 02 6220 1000

Cost

$250 per student. This includes accommodation, meals and all resources for the camp. Students will be able to take home all artworks created as part of the camp.
Accepted students will be required to pay in full to their school by Friday 4 July 2025 (Term 2 Week 10)

Select to go to TSSCAC - Warrambui camp information

TSSCAC - Lake Burrendong

Dates

Monday 8 September to Wednesday 10 September 2025 (Term 3 Week 8)

Arrival time: 8:30 am to 9:00 am Monday 8 September 2025 - Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Centre

Pickup time: 3:45 pm Wednesday 10 September 2025 - Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Centre(following the end of camp showcase)

Venue

Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Centre
205 Tara Rd, Lake Burrendong NSW 2820
Phone: 02 6846 7403

Cost

$250 per student. This includes accommodation, meals and all resources for the camp. Students will be able to take home all artworks created as part of the camp.
Accepted students will be required to pay in full to their school by Friday 4 July 2025 (Term 2 Week 10)

Select to go to TSSCAC - Lake Burrendong camp information

How to apply

Eligible students: Open to Year 5 and Year 6 NSW public school students from rural small schools.

Students interested in participating in the Transitions Small Schools Creative Arts Camp in 2025 are required to complete the Transitions - SSCAC - application form by Friday 11 April 2025 (Term 1 Week 11).

The camp coordinator will contact school principals to endorse applicants from their school before offers of acceptance.

All successful and non-successful applicants will be notified via email by Friday 16 May (Term 2 Week 3).

Accepted students will be sent further information, permission notes and payment information.

Accepted students will be required to pay in full to their school by Friday 4 July 2025 (Term 2 Week 10)

Apply now for TSSCAC 2025!

Cabins

Students will be placed in cabins separated into male and female cabins. We try to keep students in school groups and/or with similar-age peers.
We will do our best to accommodate requests as to who students would like to share a cabin.
Students will be expected to keep cabins tidy and treat cabin members' belongings with respect.
We have a highly prized cabin inspection each day!
Students do not have permission to go into other cabins unless under the direction of a teacher or tutor.

Leaving the camp

We encourage all campers to remain at the camp for the entire duration of the camp to make the most of all the opportunities on offer to them
Should a student need to leave the camp for any reason, they will need to be signed in and out by a parent/carer.

Workshop groups

We actively encourage students to challenge themselves and try new things as part of their involvement at the camp.

Project groups

Students will be completing 2 project groups throughout their time at camp. Students will spend approximately 2 hours each day working with each of their project groups. During this time students will complete projects for the showcase gallery and/or performance.

Project groups on offer include:

Dance
Drama
Circus arts
Visual arts
Film making

Interest group – creative arts

Each student will complete 2 creative arts sessions of approximately 1 hour where they will get a taste of different art forms and create a piece of work to showcase in our gallery at the camp showcase.

Interest groups – creative crafts include activities such as sketching, mixed media arts, Aboriginal arts, mask making, flower press art.

Interest group – performance arts

Each student will complete 2 performance art sessions of approximately 1 hour where they will get a taste of the different artform. Students will be encouraged to try art forms they are not doing as part of their focus groups.

Interest groups - performance arts include dance, drama and circus.

Whole camp activities

Students will also participate in whole camp activities.

All students are encouraged to give each activity their best and enjoy the opportunity to try new activities and experiences throughout the camp.

Camp showcase

At the conclusion of the camp, a showcase will be held at the camp to allow families and friends to see the fantastic creativity that occurred at camp.
Our Showcase art gallery will be available for viewing from 5:00 pm. We encourage families to arrive at 5:00 pm to allow time to view the display before the showcase performance. Students will be asked to collect all their creations at the end of the showcase to take home with them.
Showcase performance: 5:30 pm to approximately 6:30 pm.
The showcase is free of charge to parents/caregivers, family and friends of all students attending the camp.
Students will be dismissed from the camp at the conclusion of the showcase.
Students will be creating their performance t-shirt as part of the camp. Students will be provided with a t-shirt for this activity as part of the camp.
Students are asked to bring a pair of black/dark long pants to wear as part of the showcase. This could be black tights, tracksuit pants, dark denim jeans etc.

No mobile phones or devices at camp

This camp is a NSW Department of Education event and follows the same policies as schools - mobile phones and personal devices are not permitted.

For a truly immersive experience, we encourage you to leave your devices at home and fully engage in the creativity, collaboration, and adventure that ARTlantis has to offer. This is your chance to be present, connect with new friends, and dive headfirst into the arts without distractions.

Importantly, this policy also helps ensure student safety. Without devices, there are fewer risks of lost or damaged items, distractions, or unauthorized photos and videos being taken. Our team is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment, and teacher phones will be on standby for any important communications.

We appreciate your support in making this a focused, safe, and enriching experience for all students.

Student behaviour

The Transitions - Small Schools Creative Arts Camp is a Department of Education event and as such, like at school, all students are expected to abide by the Department’s Behaviour Code for Students. Students are representing themselves, their families and their school whilst at camp.

Select to go to TSSCAC - Warrambui camp information

Select to go to TSSCAC - Lake Burrendong camp information

In addition, the following expectations apply to all students:

Follow all reasonable directions of staff and peer mentors.
Respect one another, their teachers, other staff and other members of the community by listening to instructions, being polite, respecting privacy, respecting property and resolving any issues that may arise peacefully.
All students and staff have the right to adequate sleep during the excursion. Students are expected to be quiet at lights out and allow themselves and others to get a good sleep each night. Students are required to sleep in the cabins allocated and not leave their room at night except in the case of an emergency.
Sleeping quarters, activity and eating areas must always be kept clean and tidy. Students must report any accidental damage to a teacher as soon as possible.
While not expected to wear school uniform, it is important that students present themselves respectably and sensibly for each activity and that they keep clean and tidy, tending to personal hygiene.
On overnight camps, students can become anxious or nervous about an activity or miss home. This is normal. All students are expected to support one another to ensure that feelings of sadness or anxiety do not ruin the opportunities of the camp.
Provide encouragement and support to one another at all times.
Give the camp, and all activities, a fair go and practise resilience in order to get the most out of the camp.
Be aware of the camp timetable and be prepared and on time for all camp activities.
Adhere to their school’s policies regarding mobile phones and valuables.
No phones or devices permitted at camp
Breaches of these behaviour expectations while on camp can lead to parents being requested to collect their child from the camp and/or exclusion from subsequent excursions. The school principal will be contacted and further disciplinary action may be imposed.

Third-party content attributions

No third-party attributions.

NSW Department of Education

Transitions - Small Schools Creative Arts Camp

https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/local-arts-programs/transitions-small-schools-creative-arts

The Arts Unit
artsunit.nsw.edu.au

theartsunit@det.nsw.edu.au

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