NORTH BENNINGTON— It’s time to make vacation plans. The Vermont Arts Exchange, located at the Sage Street Mill, is opening up its studios to schoolchildren for an entire week of art fun in a special April Vacation Art Camp, Monday through Friday, April 12 to 16, from 10 am to 3 pm.

A long time favorite, Open Studio Art Camp returns with art adventures for children ages 6 to 11. Bennington artist and long-time VAE instructor Ann Webster-Lang leads students in discovering the wide variety of materials, tools, and supplies available in VAE’s studios, and not often found in their other art programs.

Children work individually as well as in groups to try new things at their own pace. Webster-Lang presents structured activity and themes that some students can follow, while acting as a base for others who want more freedom. Art campers work with traditional artists’ supplies, including acrylic, watercolor, oil pastels and chalk pastels for drawing and painting, and learn how to use other tools and materials, such as wood shop tools, mixed media and recycled material, plaster, wood, and fiber. If weather permits, a whole outside studio for springtime fun!

This week-long camp is $185 per child, including all materials. Campers should bring a bag lunch and snack (if needed), and warm outdoor clothing.

Call VAE at (802) 442-5549, or visit www.vtartxchange.org, for more information about VAE’s classes, workshops, camps or this season’s exciting Basement Music Series concerts.