Fantastic Magic Camp is a summer day camp for children located in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1993 by two Austin-area magicians, the camp teaches magic, juggling, puppetry, and other variety arts.
History
edit
Magic Camp was founded in 1993 by Kent Cummins and Peter Hinrichs, aka Peter the Adequate, both professional magicians in the Austin area at the time, as Kent's "Magic Hotline" personal business.[citation needed] In January 2007, Kent relinquished direct personal control to a board of directors and "The Kent Cummins Magic Camp" incorporated[1] as a Texas Non-Profit Organization, receiving IRS 501(c)(3) status later that year.[2] Magic Camp continued as a non-profit for four years until the end of 2010, when it gave up its 501(c)(3) status and re-incorporated with a new board of directors as "Magic Camp USA, LLC" and "The Kent Cummins Magic Camp" was renamed as "Fantastic Magic Camp."[3][4]
Local involvement
editThe Fantastic Magic Camp maintains an active presence in the Austin magic scene. Recently, the camp provided a "day care" camp for attendees of the Texas Association of Magicians' 2010 convention, held in Austin,[5] a booth at the first annual Austin Street Magic Festival,[6] in addition to providing volunteers to assist with both events. Volunteers from the magic camp regularly assist with the Society of American Magicians' Ring 206's annual magic auction.[7] In 2011, the magic camp assisted with the inaugural production of Doc Seaton's Magic Sideshow, a part of Austin's Pecan Street Festival.[8] Additionally, the magic camp can be found at a variety of family-friendly events in the Austin area, such as Waterloo park's 5th annual Ice Cream Festival.[9]
Inclusion
editThe Fantastic Magic Camp is a fully inclusive camp, accepting any and all children regardless of special needs. Over the years, the Magic Camp has partnered with organizations such as Austin Travis County Integral Care,[10] the Austin Police Department's Camp Apple[citation needed], Easter Seals[11] and Austin's Pecan Street Festival[8] to bring the Magic Camp experience to the children of underprivileged communities.
Youth Leader Training Academy (formerly Internship Program)
editThe Fantastic Magic Camp's counselors are exclusively former campers who elected to participate in the magic camp's internship program and attend its "Youth Leader Training Academy." The camp's staff are exclusively former team members who completed five years in the Youth Leader Training Academy.[12] An invitation to participate in the Youth Leader Training Academy is extended to each camper once they reach 13 years of age.
Awards
edit- Winner of "Small Business of the Year" from BiGAUSTIN's Creative Business Awards in 2004[13]
- Winner of "Best Summer Camp" category of the Austin Chronicle's "Best of Austin 2010" awards.[14]
- Winner of "Most Uniquely Austin" category of Austin, Texas Chamber of Commerce's 2012 business awards.[15]
References
edit- ^ "COA - Generate Franchise Tax Certification of Account Status Page". Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. January 1, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "Nonprofit Report for KENT CUMMINS MAGIC CAMP". Guidestar USA, Inc. January 1, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "COA - Generate Franchise Tax Certification of Account Status Page". Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. December 17, 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ Andrea Ball (November 11, 2010). "Magic camp ditches nonprofit status". Charity Chat. Austin-American Statesman. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "Texas Association of Magicians Convention (TAOM)". MAGIC Magazine Convention Guide. Magic Magazine. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on May 19, 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ Grace Sydney (September 1, 2010). "Austin Street Magic Festival, Sept. 2". TexasTripper.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "2011 Austin Magic Auction Newsletter #6 - March 23". SAM 206. March 23, 2011. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "The 30th Annual Pecan Street Festival in Austin, TX". Eventful.com. September 13, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ John Maverick (2011). "From the President" (PDF). Press-To! Assembly 206 News. 8 (8). SAM 206: 2. Retrieved August 1, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Kent Cummins (2008). "Member News" (PDF). Press-To! Assembly 206 News. 5 (8). SAM 206: 8. Retrieved August 1, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Larry Kolvoord (December 10, 2009). "Kent Cummings Magic Camp Troupe". Photoblog for the Austin-American Statesman. Austin-American Statesman. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "Youth Leader Training Academy". Fantastic Magic Camp. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
- ^ "Small Business of the Year in 2004 from BiGAUSTIN". 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
- ^ "Best Summer Camp". The Austin Chronicle. 2010. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
- ^ "Greater Austin Business Awards". Austin Chamber of Commerce. July 2012. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
