I spent six years as a camper at Centauri Arts Camp and 2019 was my third year on staff. One of the key ingredients that makes Centauri incredible is the camp’s warm sense of community and throughout my years as a camper and counsellor, my appreciation for that community has only grown. There is something unique about Centauri that is hard to grasp until you have experienced it. At Centauri, people gather for a common cause – a passion for the arts. Common interests are a uniting force, yet the way these passions manifest at camp creates a bond seldom experienced elsewhere. The dedicated program directors produce a safe space devoted to learning and cultivating skills. When a group of creative people work together to achieve an artistic goal, it is impossible not to grow as a unit and make incredible friends.
The Centauri community extends further than just the programs. From becoming like family in dorm groups, to having a blast in workshops, to meeting someone new in the ‘Play in a Day’ festival, to bonding in spirit suppers and evening programs: before you know it, the whole camp is a community of friends. This community-building starts on day one. The sight of the counsellors smiling a welcome, wearing their silly yellow hats and waving warmly – right then, even the most nervous camper begins to feel excited, and at ease.
Maia (right) as a camper
From then on, the counsellor team’s capacity for creating fun and building connections makes every camper feel at home. The dorm groups at Centauri are just like families – campers spark fun together, but they also lean on one another for support. Festivals and workshops give campers the chance to interact with new people – and these interactions can develop into powerful friendships.
Centauri is made up of many smaller communities – dorms, arts programs and more – but it is also its own community, created as we dance on chairs to Bohemian Rhapsody in the dining hall, or play Doop Ball together in free time. Even more importantly, the Centauri community is not only a strong one, it’s a really good one. Both staff and campers help create a nurturing and supportive space, tending the creative flame in each individual, and forming memories together that will be cherished all our lives.
Centauri’s community can be summed up in one simple word – magic.
By Maia H.