An exhibit of art from all four camps will go on display at IUPUI’s National Art Museum of Sport next month.

A summer youth camp that combined basketball games and art classes for 40 area youth has mushroomed into a four-site program expected to draw about 400 participants this summer.

In last year's inaugural summer of the SpARTan Sport and Art Camp, 40 youth at Brookside Park in Indianapolis participated in a one-week, fun-filled program of both art and sports. This summer, the program has branched out and is offering versions of the one-week camp at Horizon Center, Auntie Mame's Child Development Center, Westminister Neighborhood Ministries and Girls, Inc.

The camp program was developed by the National Art Museum of Sport in partnership with Art With A Heart, a local agency headed by veteran art teacher Carol Conrad. NAMOS, located at University Place Conference Center and Hotel at IUPUI, holds the nation's largest collection of sport-related art.

SpARTan Sport and Art camps are designed to spark children's interest in art through sports, said Ann Rein, NAMOS administrative director. Campers spend part of each day in art classes working on sport-themed art projects and part of the day participating in sports.

“The kids are so proud of what they are doing. They just love it,” Rein said, quoting comments from camp evaluations.

Expanding the camps to different neighborhood locations made it possible to serve a greater audience without creating transportation concerns, Rein said.

During NAMOS Day at each camp, the museum administrator will take work from the Museum's collection to the camp site to serve as inspiration as well as art education for the campers.

For her show-and-tell presentation, Rein selected certain NAMOS items, including a collage of former President George Bush at various sports, a painting of a Little League game and a poster designed by track star Jackie Joyner Kersee, based on style, story-telling value and its usefulness to teach visual thinking strategies to children.

Art with a Heart provides volunteer teachers, supplies and plans the programming. Sport activities this year are determined by those available at the individual sites. Funding for the camps is being provided through grants from several organizations, including Penrod Society, Arts Council of Indianapolis, City of Indianapolis, the Indiana Arts Commission and others.

At the conclusion of each camp, NAMOS hosts an exhibition of campers' original art and an award reception for youth and their families. An exhibit of art from all four camps will go on display at NAMOS in August.

Camp sessions were held earlier this month at Girls, Inc., the Horizon Center, and Westminster Neighborhood Ministries and a session is in progress at Auntie Mame's Child Development Center