All the Ballibay Camps share the same key philosophical principles:

the small camp idea

We believe that a small camp is a happy camp, so rather than expanding our camp's capacity over the years, we have created multiple small camps. Everyone knows everyone at each of our camps. With never more than 140 campers, and always at least 45 staff, we maintain very small communities with an outstanding child-adult ratio (typically 3:1). No one feels lost, and everyone "fits in." Campers attest to how easy it is to make friends here, even for the most introverted of kids. Parents tell us how much confidence their experience at a Ballibay Camp has given them.

 

Cabin sizes also remain small, with usually 8-12 campers and at least two counselors living in each bunk. Only our cabins are organized by age and grade; all of our program areas mix ages and genders, allowing campers to make friends and work creatively alongside a diverse group of fellow campers. Superb individual attention and an open, non-competitive environment serve as the foundation of The Ballibay Camps' truly unique and supportive communities.

a belief in non-competition

Among the key philosophies of the Ballibay Camps is a commitment to a noncompetitive environment. There are no awards or prizes, and there is no inclusion or exclusion based on judging, scoring, or grading of any type in our arts program areas. Our teachers provide feedback, advice, and encouragement; they encourage campers to pursue interests, and to observe others to gain insight and inspiration.

There are many summer programs offering performing arts training that prepare children for the highly competitive professional arts world. This is not our mission. We want the experience of artmaking to be rich and fulfilling, and free of the concerns of the professional world.

We take pride in attracting campers from an extremely broad range of skill and experience levels, and providing an environment in which all campers have ample opportunities for growth.

an orientation towards process

'It's the Journey, not the Product' has always been a basic tenet of the Ballibay Camps' philosophy. The road that leads to a completed project, artwork or performance is the most valuable to the student, regardless of the final outcome. If the process of development and discovery is positive, then valuable learning and growth have occurred.