Girls Rock! Chicago provides campers with more than a musical education. Through workshops, games and other activities, we teach our campers how to be independent, strong women, ready to pursue their musical interests with a solid foundation behind them.
Date, Location, and Application Schedule
This year’s camp will be held Jul 28 - Aug 3, 2008 at Inter-American Magnet School, 851 W. Waveland, Chicago, IL. Applications are available now. See our Application Instructions for information on how to apply.
A Typical Day at Camp
A typical day at camp includes instrument lessons, band practice, two workshops on musically related interests and two games designed to help them work together and have fun. The 2007 Camp Schedule (Adobe PDF, 41k) provides a good example of the schedule of a typical camp day.
End of Camp Show and Recording
Additionally, the weekend after camp offers campers a chance to perform and record the music they wrote and played throughout the week. Saturday afternoon Girls Rock! Chicago hosts an End-of-Camp Extravaganza which is open to the public. Last year’s extravaganza was held at the Metro. On Sunday, campers are invited to record in a professional recording studio. The recordings are mixed and released on a CD made available to campers and the general public.
Instrument Availability
Girls are welcome to bring their own bass or guitar, however, we provide campers with all the equipment they need, including guitars, basses, amps, straps, picks, sticks and drum kits.
Counselors
Our counselors are screened and selected from volunteers with backgrounds in education, music and art. Our workshop counselors are often working professionals in their discipline, such as Christen Carter, owner of Busy Beaver Buttons and Erin Debenport, Tour Manager and Merchandise Specialist for Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks. Our camper-counselor ratio stands strong at 3:1, meaning campers get plenty of individual attention and assistance when they need it.
Music Resources
We are also building a music and literature library for campers to expand their knowledge of female musicians and bands. All campers are welcome to listen to CDs throughout the week, as well as borrow and read any books available, during the afternoon free period, as well as before and after camp.
Tuition
Full tuition for one week of camp is $400, however, campers are welcome to attend camp regardless of their ability to pay. We offer several financial aid packages and scholarships to subsidize the cost of camp for interested families.
Girls Rock! Chicago offers before and after care, from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. at no additional cost. We also offer free vegetarian lunch for any interested campers; simply sign up for it on the application.
