college of visual and performing arts
community Arts Academy
Helping youth find their passion.
The Community Arts Academy is dedicated to instilling an appreciation of the arts in children by offering summer camps and
year-round classes in art, music, theatre, and dance.
Less Stuff. More experiences.
Give the gift of the arts!
Lessen the caretaking load for mom and dad—give your grandchild, neice, nephew, or neighbor a Community Arts Academy gift certificate. From building with clay or wood to acting or improv, CAA has a class or camp for every kid! Browse all our 2025 classes and camps below. Know a creative adult? Kick start their passion for an instrument or singing—purchase a gift certificate for lessons!
individual instruction
Your journey starts here.
The Community Arts Academy has been providing individualized instruction to children and adults for decades. Lessons take place on campus in Purdue Fort Wayne’s state-of-the-art facilities.
scholarships
Financial hurdles won’t stand in your way.
Need-based scholarships are for group classes and camps. Please contact Molly Papier, Community Arts Academy director who is eager to bring down barriers and expand access to the arts. Email [email protected] or call 260-481-6059 for more information.
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Your 'To Do List' is already a mile long—let us remind you to register for summer camps and Saturday morning classes.
Mastodons are social creatures
Get a glimpse of PFW life, and see what students are up to on, off, and around campus.
Instrument Loans
Become the musician you’ve always dreamed of.
Every student should have the opportunity to play an instrument of their choosing, and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic makes this possible. Over 100 string, brass, and woodwind instruments are available on a first-come-first-served basis for musicians at any ability level through their Instrument Loan Program.
Policies
All the details.
The Purdue University Fort Wayne College of Visual and Performing Arts, including the Community Arts Academy, is fully accredited by all its discipline-specific accrediting agencies, including the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
The Purdue Fort Wayne Community Arts Academy abides by the Purdue University operating procedures and policy outlined in the Operating Procedures for Programs Involving Minors. View the policy and registration form.
A full refund is given when the university cancels a course or when the Community Arts Academy receives notification of withdrawal from the registrant before the third business day prior to the start of the class. No refunds will be given after class or private instruction begins. Course cancellations may occur due to low registration. Course offerings and fees may be subject to change without notice.
Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public institution of higher education that offers a wide variety of classes, to a wide range of students from differing backgrounds, including adults and children in grades pre-K through 12. While the Purdue Fort Wayne College of Visual and Performing Arts is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, parents are reminded that it is their responsibility to supervise minors when they are on campus and not in the classroom. Before and after class, our teachers cannot take the place of a parent and assume responsibility for unsupervised children.
In case of an emergency, please contact University Police at 260-481-6827.
If you are an adult searching for instruction in art, dance, theatre or music, please note that while the CAA does offer private music instruction in voice and many instruments for adults, the Purdue Fort Wayne Division of Continuing Studies offers many personal enrichment classes in art, dance, theatre and more. To find out more about these classes, please visit their website for details.
The Purdue University Fort Wayne College of Visual and Performing Arts, including the Community Arts Academy, is fully accredited by all its discipline-specific accrediting agencies, including the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public institution of higher education that offers a wide variety of classes, to a wide range of students from differing backgrounds, including adults and children in grades pre-K through 12. While the Purdue Fort Wayne College of Visual and Performing Arts is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students, parents are reminded that it is their responsibility to supervise minors when they are on campus and not in the classroom. Before and after class, our teachers cannot take the place of a parent and assume responsibility for unsupervised children.
In case of an emergency, please contact University Police at 260-481-6827.
The Purdue Fort Wayne Community Arts Academy abides by the Purdue University operating procedures and policy outlined in the Operating Procedures for Programs Involving Minors. View the policy and registration form.
If you are an adult searching for instruction in art, dance, theatre or music, please note that while the CAA does offer private music instruction in voice and many instruments for adults, the Purdue Fort Wayne Division of Continuing Studies offers many personal enrichment classes in art, dance, theatre and more. To find out more about these classes, please visit their website for details.
A full refund is given when the university cancels a course or when the Community Arts Academy receives notification of withdrawal from the registrant before the third business day prior to the start of the class. No refunds will be given after class or private instruction begins. Course cancellations may occur due to low registration. Course offerings and fees may be subject to change without notice.
Community Arts Academy News
Arts and Humanities
Middle school band students get head start with PFW
Arts and Humanities
Community Arts Academy theatre students use imagination to dive ‘under the sea’
Arts and Humanities, Athletics, Education, Engineering and Technology, Science
PFW Summer Camp Experiences Range from Athletics to Virtual Reality and Most Everything In Between