Beam Center

Beam is a summer camp in Strafford, NH for the fine and manual arts where each summer campers aged 11-17 collaborate on a spectacular project. Our mission is to help kids explore what it means to make things with their own bodies and brains and how that kind of creativity is relevant and applicable to everything in their lives. They transform ideas into artifacts and personal achievement into community success. They also have a lot of fun. The centerpiece of the program is the Beam Project. Each session Beam commissions two unique large-scale collaborative endeavors (one or each of two camp sessions), ranging from the conceptual to the structural, that Campers and Staff produce and enjoy. Teams of Campers guided by the staff work on different aspects of the Project each morning. Campers also participate in Domains, are afternoon activities designed and led by Beam Staff and Domain Guests (one-week visitors). Each Domain is a unique and in-depth, hands-on, discovery activity in the arts, sciences, athletic or cultural fields where Campers make something or learn something new. Domains consist of at least three 2.5 hour sessions. With an activity break in between. Beam has two lakes and sits within a 750 acre conservation reserve of mountain and forest. Among Beam's resources are a well-equipped wood shop, digital lab and art/ceramics studio, basketball court, two large athletic fields and outdoor fire pit.