Two Santa Monica mothers are launching a new arts camp next month that aims to spark creativity in children while addressing a persistent challenge for working parents: what to do when schools unexpectedly close.
Mad Creators Camp, scheduled to debut Nov. 4 at Highways Performance Space in the 18th Street Art District, represents a departure from traditional arts education that emphasizes technical drilling over creative expression, according to founders Erin Keivan and Caley Rose.
"Parents don't really have a lot of options other than like, hiring a group babysitter" when schools close for teacher training days or other unscheduled breaks, Rose said during a recent interview. The camp targets children ages 4 to 10 and currently has 19 students registered out of a 30-student capacity.
The program combines music, dance and visual arts instruction through rotating sessions led by professional artists, including a dance teacher flying in from Colorado and musicians from Rose's company, Confident Concerts. Unlike conventional arts programs that focus on technique, Mad Creators Camp emphasizes creative exploration.
"We're really fostering the kids' passion for the arts from this early on," said Keivan, who operates T2 Dance Company. She noted that her own son lost enthusiasm for music lessons when instructors focused primarily on proper instrument positioning rather than musical expression.
The founders, both parents of kindergarteners at Franklin Elementary School, identified the need after observing limited options for quality child care and enrichment on school closure days. Their research revealed nine official school closure days from January to June 2026, excluding spring break, creating recurring challenges for working families.
"We realized that a lot of the creative programming in that space was really drilling technical skills," Rose explained. "We wanted to open up creativity in that area because I felt like I was growing up and I had a lot of technical drilling, and it kind of created these boundaries that I never knew how to improvise my way out of."
The camp's multi-disciplinary approach allows children to create original songs, choreograph dances and produce visual art, with activities designed to intersect across mediums. Students spend time in group activities, outdoor play in the venue's courtyard, and receive organic snacks provided by sponsor Whole Foods.
A unique feature of the program is a short documentary video that parents receive at day's end, showing their child's creative process throughout the camp. This addresses a common parental frustration about understanding what children actually experience during programs.
"One thing that we heard from parents is they really struggle with understanding what did you do today?" Keivan said. "They come home and they say, 'Oh, it was fun,' and you might get one little nugget of what they did in the day."
The November session serves as a test run before expanding to spring break programming in April 2026, which would cover 10 school days. The founders also plan to offer camps on additional random school closure days throughout the year.
Operating independently from the school district due to logistical hurdles, the camp uses PeachJar for promotional flyers distributed through schools. The founders chose Highways Performance Space for its combination of indoor theater space, art gallery and outdoor areas essential for active programming.
Both founders bring professional arts backgrounds to the venture. Keivan operates a dance company, while Rose runs Confident Concerts, a music education business. Their partnership grew from conversations about maintaining children's love of arts while avoiding the restrictive technical focus they experienced in their own artistic training.
The camp represents a growing trend toward creative, holistic approaches to children's arts education, particularly in addressing the gap between academic calendars and working parent schedules.
Registration information is available at madcamps.org. The founders plan to evaluate expansion opportunities based on the response to the inaugural November session.