Once again this summer, Shop Floor Theatre Company is offering 25 scholarships for a unique performing arts camp that gives young people a chance to work with local and New York City artists as they create work reflecting their own experiences.

The 4-week camp, titled Who We Are, is open to students age 12- 19 and will be directed by Nate Lombardi of New York-based The Groovy Projects. Shop Floor staff, including Program Facilitator Emma Davis, will lead the daily programs.

Students will have the chance to learn performance techniques and create the kind of production they want to see, centered on issues that are important to them, such as identity. The camp will culminate in a free showcase production of the students’ work.

Starting July 6, the camp will allow students to learn about performing arts, make new friends and dream up their own production. They will be cast in the roles on stage and off, so students could choose to be a performer, musician, writer, cameraperson, light operator or any other job the production needs.

Sessions, held for 2 hours a day, will take place at the University of Michigan- Flint and Beecher’s Randall Coates Auditorium. Scholarships will also pay for student transportation between sites and snacks during the sessions.

Last year, Shop Floor held its first summer camp through a partnership with Owosso Community Players and the Cook Family Foundation. That camp culminated with free performances of an original production, titled “Making It”, in Beecher and Owosso. This full stage production was written and performed by the students. Many of the young people who attended last year’s sessions were among the first to sign up for the 2016 camp, which is being offered for free, thanks to generous funding from the Ruth Mott Foundation and Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs.

Hailey, one of last year’s student participants, said, “When I first started this program, I had no idea what I was in for. I thought it would just be me working on my music. That is not what happened at all. I made so many great friends, I learned more than I thought I would, and had a blast. I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to go through this program, it’s one of the best things that’s happened this summer.”

After Shop Floor’s recent semester-long, artistic teaching residency in Beecher High School, Beecher students were offered the opportunity to participate in the camp. But the program is open to any young person between 12- 19 years old.

Applications will be accepted through June 30. For more information on how to apply, visit

https://dochub.com/shopfloortheatre/rNpmQZ/2016-summer-workshop-application- 1?dt=fso8p6def749t027&pg=2 and fill out an application or contact Kendrick Jones at Kendrick@sftco.org.