Imagine spending your summer nestled in the Michigan woods. Spending your time in dance classes, acting in plays, studying music, and creating films. Oh, and doing cool camp stuff like sitting around a campfire making s’mores, hanging out with your friends in your cabin, and going to the local lake for canoeing and swimming.
Sound like your jam?
Then Interlochen Summer Camp might be for you!
If so, in this guide we’ll talk you through
What Interlochen Summer Arts Camp is
The programs Interlochen offers
What life is like at Interlochen
How to apply and how much the programs cost
What is Interlochen Arts Camp?
Well, it’s a camp. And it’s for the arts. And it’s located on the campus of Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan.
But what makes Interlochen Summer Camp perhaps unique is that it focuses (at least at the high school level) on giving students who want to pursue a career in the arts an intensive program that helps prepare them for life as professional artists.
So, if your love for the theater waxes and wanes, or if you only pick up your cello every few months or so, Interlochen Arts Camp might not be your best bet (but fear not… there are a lot of other ways to spend your extracurricular activity time).
However, if your idea of heaven is getting to spend hours devoted to your artistic pursuits, surrounded by other students and faculty who love what you love, keep reading!
History of Interlochen Summer Camp
Interlochen Summer Camp has been around for a LONG time and was the first program of its kind in the United States (it was founded in 1928 as a co-ed summer camp devoted to music).
Since then, it has grown and grown to include
Dance
Theater
Creative writing
Filmmaking
Visual arts
Interdisciplinary arts
Now, more than 3,000 students attend Interlochen each summer.
Interlochen Summer Arts Camp program options
Campers interested in Interlochen have a lot of options concerning how long they want to go to camp, which program they would like to apply to, and which skill level is the most appropriate (this last one is determined by an audition or portfolio… more on that later).
The Junior Division is for students in grades 3-6, and there are two-week and four-week sessions for this age group. For many kids, this might be their very first time at summer camp, so be nice when you see them!
The Intermediate Division is for students in grades 6-8, and this group can stay at Interlochen for three or six weeks.
The High School Division is (obviously) for high school students, who also get a choice of three or six weeks at camp.
There are also One-Week Intensives for High School Students (maybe you have other summer plans or just really miss home… no judgment here, we promise) with the option to stay longer by attending one of the three-week sessions
No matter how long you decide to attend Interlochen Summer Camp, you will have many opportunities to master your skills and indulge your creative interests. That is the WHOLE POINT of this program!
How do you apply to Interlochen Arts Camp?
The application process is fairly straightforward (which is awesome, since that isn’t always the case with summer programs). But there are multiple steps involved, including the submission of an audition or portfolio, depending on which program you’re applying to. Applications open on September 1 for the following summer.
The first thing you need to do is register for an account with Interlochen (just click here), which will then give you access to the actual application.
The application itself only has two sections:
the contact information for you and your family
and your primary and alternate program choices
And then comes the (hopefully) fun stuff—your audition or portfolio. These programs are the ones that require an audition or portfolio:
Creative Writing (High School Intensive and High School Program)
Dance (High School Intensive, High School Program, and Intermediate Program)
Film and New Media (High School Intensive, High School Program, and Intermediate Program)
Music (High School Intensive, High School Program, Intermediate Program, and Junior Program)
Theatre (High School Intensive, High School Program, Intermediate Program, and Junior Program)
Visual Arts (High School Program and Intermediate Program)
Important note: Each level within each discipline has different audition and portfolio requirements, which you can find here.
Finally, if you want to apply for financial aid, you need to submit a Form 1040 from your family’s most recent federal tax return. We know this feels like really personal information (because it is) but this is how Interlochen determines who is eligible (here's some more financial aid info for you).
Once your application is complete, you pay the $65 application fee, upload your application, and wait to hear the good news!
Oh, and just a quick but important note: If you’re applying to programs that don’t require an audition or portfolio, those enroll on a first-come, first-served basis beginning in December, so it is definitely in your best interest to get your application in as early as you can (while ensuring that it’s still strong).
Those applications that include auditions or portfolios start the review process on January 15 (which is the priority application deadline).
What’s life like at Interlochen?
Um, it’s pretty awesome!
Since this is camp, you get to stay in cabins with 15 other campers and your counselors (a lot of whom went to Interlochen themselves). There are bunk beds, places to stow your stuff, and maybe most importantly, private restrooms (just because you’re in the woods doesn’t mean you don’t need your privacy!).
When it’s time to eat, you’ll get to enjoy produce from the camp’s garden, salad bars, sandwich bars, hot entrees, soups, and snacks. And there’s ice cream, pizza, and a place to get coffee and baked goods.
Are you vegan or gluten-free? Not a problem! The camp provides those options, too!
During the day, you’ll spend a lot of your time in classes, rehearsals, or preparing for performances. But you also get to play tennis, participate in field games, go to the camp’s two lakes, head to Interlochen’s private beach, play basketball, read a book, or just explore the great outdoors.
But wait, there’s more!
Students in the High School Program also get to attend concerts and performances from world-renowned artists (think Diana Ross or the Martha Graham Dance Company), AND there are always performances from fellow campers to attend (including the Final Performances that cap each camper’s time at Interlochen).
Your days will be packed!
How much does Interlochen cost?
To be blunt, all of the amazing stuff at Interlochen comes at a pretty hefty price. Tuition varies based on how long you attend camp. Here’s a look at the numbers:
One-week intensive ($1,830)
Two-week session ($4,510)
Three-week session ($6,765)
Four-week session ($7,775)
Six-week session ($10.080)
The good news is that financial aid is available (except for the one-week intensives), and Interlochen reports that 82% of families that applied for financial aid in 2023 received it.
There are also Merit Scholarships—every student who applies for sessions longer than two weeks and whose programs require a portfolio or audition are automatically considered for a Merit Scholarship, so nothing extra you need to do there!
Finally, if you play strings, percussion, harp, brass, or woodwind instruments, there are full-tuition scholarships just for you!
Interlochen Summer Camp is expensive, and for many families the cost just isn’t something they can manage (in which case, check out Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, which is also in Michigan and is a more affordable option). But, we strongly encourage you to apply for financial aid if you need it! There is no harm in trying!
Is it hard to get into Interlochen?
Interlochen Summer Arts Camp is a prestigious program. As such, it is competitive and admission is selective. But the good news is that they’re not looking for students who are already masters at their craft. This is a camp for students who already have experience and have shown potential in their respective artistic disciplines, but most importantly, they want to admit students who show their willingness to learn and grow.
Do you need to be a serious artist to get into Interlochen? Yes.
Do you have to be a prodigy? Absolutely not.
If you go through the application process and get accepted, you will join 3,000 other campers for an amazing summer experience.
We also want to say this about Interlochen Summer Arts Camp… don’t apply if you’re just looking to pad your college application (here’s some additional information about what colleges are looking for). Attendance at Interlochen certainly can help students in the college admission process, especially those of you applying to conservatories or music programs.
But summer at Interlochen is intense. You’ll spend most of your time practicing, rehearsing, and fine-tuning your skills. Your teachers will demand your engagement and hard work because they want to help you make progress, and they will expect that you’re serious about your own creative efforts. There is definitely time for fun and relaxation (they still want this to be “camp”), but if you decide to attend Interlochen, you’re agreeing to serious study.
If this sounds like just what you need, then go for it! But if you’re just looking to pad your resume, we’d encourage you to consider some other programs
Special thanks to Jessica B. for writing this blog post
Jessica has a Ph.D in English from the University of Southern California and teaches English at a Los Angeles-area independent school, where she has also been English department chair and a class dean. Sandra Cisneros is her hero, and she loves books, her awesomely-sarcastic family, the beach, cozy sweaters, and more books. Oh, and her sweet pitbull/lab mix named Ruby.
Top values: Curiosity, equity, wonder
