WILTON – Foothills Arts’ 13th annual summer program for teens who are completing grades seven to 12 offers new opportunities to focus on skill-building and self-expression in theater and art. The teen session of Foothills Summer Arts runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 14-18, at Academy Hill School.

From the following list of three art and three theater workshops, teens will select four to participate in each of the five days.

The art choices are Drawing En Plein Air or sketching plants and insects outdoors; Watercolors-Wild and Free or learning watercolor techniques using professional materials and experiment with adding poetry to the paintings; and Art Kites or 3-D design and construction.

The theater choices are Eccentric Characters where students learn to develop comic characters and learn slapstick, pratfalls and comic combat; Movement and Gesture for the Actor where students learn the non-verbal skills an actor uses to create character, and Music for the Stage that includes teaching on how to turn a well-known classical theater scene into a mini-musical by writing music and lyrics.

The workshops are taught by professional artist-teachers. In addition to the opportunities for expression through art, poetry, music, creative movement, and theater, the participants will perform and exhibit their works at the end of the week.

Foothills Summer Arts also offers a session of creative learning in the arts for students who are completing grades four to six. Also held at Academy Hill School, this session runs from July 7-11.

Foothills Arts is a nonprofit community organization based in Farmington. In order to make it possible for youth from all over western Maine to attend Foothills Summer Arts, the organization has special reduced fees for families who cannot afford the full tuition of $120.

For youth who need help getting to the program in Wilton, there is bus and small van transportation from central locations in towns throughout western Maine.

Contact Director Anne Geller for a Foothills Summer Arts brochure and more information about reduced fees and transportation assistance at 778-0448 or 778-7519.

There is no deadline for registering for Foothills Summer Arts, but early registration is welcomed because families can save $20 per student by registering before June 10.