We believe that when youth are given access to the explosive power of creativity, they can change their world, and even the world at large.

Caldera was founded by Dan Wieden and his family in 1996 as an arts and environmental immersion program in the mountains. The idea was to bring young people with limited opportunities together with talented creative professionals to make art and be in relationship with the natural world. Turns out it was a pretty good idea. Those who said they couldn’t draw or write or had no rhythm found out they were actually creative, and those who never got to hike mountains or swim in lakes found themselves immersed in new experiences each day.

And for nearly 28 years, the power of creativity has transformed Caldera from a small summer camp to a thriving year-round community enriching thousands of lives every year.