• Photo by Farrah Skeiky

Summer Camp

Create original music. Rock out together.

Unleash your inner rockstar at Girls Rock! DC’s Summer Camp!

SUMMER CAMP IS BIGGER THAN EVER!

We held TWO sessions of Summer Camp in 2024 at the National Public Radio (NPR) Headquarters: July 15-20 and August 5-10! Next year will be even bigger!

Girls Rock! DC’s Summer Camps offer DC youth ages 8-18 the opportunity to build community, express their creativity, and develop key skills in a safe and supportive environment, all through the medium of music. Campers learn an instrument, form a band, write original music, and perform live on stage.

2025 applications will open in January. Join our email list to get updated about Summer Camp and other fun activities throughout the year.

Camp makes an impact:

From a Summer Camper’s guardian: “[Camper] had such a wonderful time last week at Girls Rock DC! camp. She learned so much from the counselors and campers. I love how this program allowed her to be herself and creative. [Everyone] did such a phenomenal job!”

SUMMER CAMP SPONSORS

We’re grateful to the sponsors of Girls Rock! DC’s 2024 Summer Camps! Our sponsors are helping DC’s youth find their voices, express themselves, and flourish as leaders.

Want to join them and make a difference in your community? Become a sponsor today!

Campers leave with more confidence:

100% of Summer Campers would recommend camp to their friends. More than 90% said they learned something new and are stronger musicians and more confident performers after camp!

WHAT CAMPERS DO AT CAMP

  • Get an instrument of your very own to use during camp.
  • Learn to jam on electric guitar, groove on electric bass, kick it on keys, sing like a super-star, or rock out on drums from local DC musicians. 
  • Participate in more than 40 hours of fun activities and lessons.
  • Form a band with your fellow campers and collaboratively write an original song.
  • Hear from DC musicians, organizers, and creatives about how they do what they love and connect art to activism.
  • Spend quality time in workshops and conversation with other rad folks like you.
  • Perform on stage with your new band at a live show for a real audience. 

ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS

Summer Camp is open to all young folks ages 8-18 in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas. Girls Rock! DC centers girls, femme-identified folks, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive youth, with a focus on Black, brown, and Indigenous young people, as well as native Washingtonians in DC.

Summer Camp tuition is $0-580 per session, available on a pay-what-you-can sliding scale.

When applications open, you’ll register online. Once accepted, you’ll pay camp tuition and attend a virtual orientation before camp begins.

The Showcase is the culmination of camp, the grand finale, where campers perform their original songs with their band on stage at a real live DC music venue. Friends and family are encouraged to attend and cheer on their campers and listen to their rockin’ song! Tickets to the show can be purchased online or at the door. Ticket sales, merch sales, and all other proceeds from this event go to supporting Girls Rock! DC’s youth programs, so we can encourage the next generation of rock stars!

Nope! Summer Camp is open to all young folks in DC, Maryland, and Virginia ages 8-18. GR!DC programs  center femme-identified folks, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive youth, with a focus on Black, brown, and Indigenous young people, as well as native Washingtonians in DC. This means that our programming is explicitly feminist and anti-racist and we focus on uplifting Black and brown young folks and people of non-dominant genders.

Yes! Girls Rock! DC will provide an electric guitar, electric bass, keyboard, drum kit, or microphone to use during camp. 

Each day of camp, campers receive tailored small group instruction from a local DC musician. Instrument lessons focus on building technical skills, confidence, and music appreciation.

Although instruments will not be going home with campers after each day, the daily instrument lessons are designed to ensure campers will be fully ready to hit the stage and rock out!

We are called “rock camp”, but we welcome campers interested in all musical genres! GR!DC reflects the musical diversity present in DC. Campers are encouraged to explore different styles and genres to express themselves through the music they create.

Nope! We welcome campers of all experience levels, from “not musically inclined” to “sings in the shower” to “composes original rock operas”. The only requirement is a love of music!

Camp will be held in English. If you would like to request support such as a live Spanish or ASL translator, please contact us at info@girlsrockdc.org by April 1, 2024.

Morning and afternoon snacks will be provided to campers each day. Campers are expected to bring their own bagged lunch each day. We’re happy to connect camper families with free and low-cost produce and meal resources if the cost of providing lunches is a barrier. This is a NUT, SHELLFISH and BANANA FREE camp! Please leave those items at home.

Campers are expected to provide their own transportation to and from Summer Camp. You’ll receive public transportation information in your welcome packet. If the cost of transportation is a barrier, we’re happy to connect camper families with free and low-cost resources.

Volunteer! Summer Camp is driven by local instructors, musicians, and other rad folks like yourself. Adults 19 and older can be volunteers. Visit girlsrockdc.org/volunteer to learn about the available volunteer roles!

Email us at info@girlsrockdc.org and we’ll be happy to find you an answer!

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, though the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY: Girls Rock! DC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national and/or ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation, body type, physical ability, gender expression, or other individual identities in the administration of any of its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarships, and other Camp-related policies and programs, as well as volunteer policies and activities. All Camp activities will promote and maintain the personal and emotional safety of all campers and staff. We do not tolerate racism, homophobia, sexism, or other discriminatory behavior or expression.