We usually announce the camp dates in mid-March. We have to coordinate with three main venues from which we rent our camp space (our host school, our showcase venue, and our recording studio) and around two major festivals to secure our dates. We choose dates that won’t put our own in showcases in conflict with Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza, and that means we have to wait for those dates to be announced in the late fall/early winter.

We welcome campers and volunteers who are girls (cis or trans), transgender youth (of any identity), and gender-nonconforming/non-binary youth. If you’re unsure if that umbrella covers you, just ask! We will meet you with kindness and respect. Additionally, we trust you to identify yourself/your child and do NOT require any “proof” of your gender.

We Rock! Chicago is all about breaking down stereotypes, creating a supportive and encouraging environment, taking creative risks, and creating positive social change in our community.

No! No music experience is required for We Rock! Chicago programming. Music is for everyone.

As of 2023, YES!! We’re so excited to welcome campers to two sessions this summer. Campers signed up for both sessions will receive $50 off their total tuition!

No, we only use electric instruments at camp. Campers are welcome to bring their own electric bass or guitar, but we also provide instruments for every child.

We are able to accept a limited number of scheduling requests for our recording day, but we cannot guarantee any specific time slots. We start drafting the recording schedule on roughly the second day of camp since campers record with their entire band (which is formed on the first day of camp). Before we accommodate scheduling requests, we have to first group all of our bands with lefty drummers at the beginning or end of the day and then ensure that siblings are grouped together so that families don’t have to make multiple trips to the recording studio. That doesn’t always leave us with room for adjustments, and we sometimes receive vastly different requests in the same band. We try our best, but it’s incredibly helpful for us if families leave their schedules open on our recording day of camp.

We take requests such as this into consideration when facilitating band formation, but ultimately try leave the decision of who will be in a band up to the campers. If you are concerned that your camper will be grouped into a band with someone they don’t get along with, please reach out to us! We take care to ensure that campers talk with each other and meet new people with respect and openness. Keep in mind that an important part of the camp experience is learning to make new friends and collaborate with people whose perspectives and experiences may be different from their own. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment to all campers and strongly encourage everyone at camp (youth and adults alike) to engage with new friends as much as possible. Please note that our band formation process occurs at camp with all campers present, so pre-forming bands is not possible.

We do not offer private lessons at this time. Sometimes we are able to provide a referral list from our volunteer pool but currently very few of our volunteers teach private lessons. Send us an email at info@werockchi.org and maybe we can point you in the right direction!

The camp application will open approximately two weeks after the camp dates are announced. Returning campers get advance notice via email. We send out a notice to our entire mailing list and also post on our socials.

We host workshops at camp and in other programs that focus on topics related to playing and composing music with a band, building self-esteem, and exploring what it means to be a girl or transperson making music. Past workshops have included song-writing, performance and stage presence, DIY effect pedals, DIY recording, media literacy, gender and inclusion, the history of women in rock, art and activism, and t-shirt surgery. Each camp session, we lead a one hour-long workshop that explores the question “What’s with the ‘girl’ in Girls Rock! Chicago?” The objective of this workshop is to provide campers with a basic understanding of gender, and how that relates to and impacts one’s experience in the world, especially in terms of oppression, bullying, and self-esteem. The full curriculum is available at www.girlsrockchicago.org.

No! Experience as a musician is appreciated for some roles like instrument instructor, but not required for roles such as band coach, counselor, roadie, and others.

We want every camper to have the opportunity to learn to play a traditional rock instrument. We offer vocal workshops and provide each camper with the opportunity to sing in their band if they so choose.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept any scheduling requests for the showcase. We structure the lineup in a loose age order so that it flows cohesively and also so that our graduating bands can “headline,” so to speak. We typically do not develop the lineup until the Friday afternoon of each camp week following dress rehearsal so that staff can get a good sense of what each band sounds like. It is critical that families leave the showcase day open from 9 AM – 3 PM.

It usually takes about six months after camp for us to release the albums, it’s a long process! First, our recording engineers mix the tracks, and then another company has to master the tracks. We also have to create the art for the albums. Once we have the mastered tracks and art, we upload the tracks for distribution! Then we have to plan a release party. Whew!

We’ve got the next best thing: Let’s Rock! Camp for adults!

There’s room for everyone to help at We Rock! Chicago! Cisgender men (who cannot volunteer during our programs) are welcome to volunteer at our office, during load-in and load out, and events such as the Annual Auction or on our Board of Directors. Cisgender men can also help us out by donating gear or cash, or by setting up benefit events!