THE CENTER PROJECT
BandWith’s free performing arts programs have moved into a permanent home, launching youth & adult community programs in Spring 2026. Through a generous gift from the Glasser & Rosenthal families, BandWith purchased a 25,000 sq. ft. building in East Garfield Park. However, we need your help to complete the project!
2022
Capital Campaign Launched
BandWith kicked off fundraising efforts to build a permanent performing arts center in East Garfield Park.
2023
$8M+ Raised for the Project
Thanks to incredible donors—including the Glasser & Rosenthal families. BandWith secured over $8 million to make the dream real.
2024
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Shovels hit the ground as construction officially began at the new 25,000 sq. ft. home just blocks from our original program site.
2025
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Progress moved fast. We cut the ribbon on our new Performing Arts Center & Community Hub, celebrating this historic milestone with over 300 people!
SPRING 2026
YOUTH & ADULT PROGRAMS LAUNCH
Our new Performing Arts Center & Community Hub expanded youth programming and launched adult community programs in February, where generations on the West Side will have opportunities to create, express themselves, and grow through arts programs!
KEY MILESTONES
BUILDING OUR FUTURE
TITAN BAND
Instruments | Ensemble Play | Community Performances
With the modern band approach, Titan Band teaches students how to play, improvise, and perform on their instruments. Students dive into genres such as rock, pop, Latin, rap, R&B, country, jazz, and more—encouraging them to start making music from day one. Youth of all backgrounds and experience levels find the Titan Band approach engaging, fun, and inspiring. This ensemble is open to youth in 5th to 8th grade.
DRUMLINE 101
Percussion | Teamwork | High-Energy Performances
Explore this exciting drumline ensemble designed for beginners. Participants are introduced to essential snare drum techniques and rhythm skills commonly used to develop a foundational drumline program. Participants will start making music right away, engaging with a variety of drum and percussion instruments to create rhythms while developing coordination and ensemble skills. Over the course of the program, they will gain hands-on experience with snare drum and rhythm fundamentals, all while collaborating with peers in a supportive group setting. This ensemble is open to youth in 3rd grade to 4th grade.
DRUMLINE 102
Percussion | Teamwork | High-Energy Performances
Step into the energy and tradition of the drumline! This ensemble gives students the opportunity to become active members of a performing drumline while building musical skills, discipline, and teamwork. Participants will strengthen their rhythmic accuracy, coordination, and ensemble awareness through engaging group rehearsals and performance experiences. This ensemble is open to youth in 5th grade to 8th grade. All participants will learn to play a range of battery percussion instruments and will be expected to demonstrate competency on snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, and other core elements of the drumline.
JAZZ & HIPHOP I
Dance | Movement | Performance Arts
This is a high-energy class that builds technique, rhythm, and style while strengthening flexibility, body awareness, and overall fitness. Dancers focus on clean lines, turns, jumps, kicks, and leaps, while also learning fun, trendy steps that are used across many styles of dance. This program offers a well-rounded foundation for all dancers, making it the perfect ensemble for youth in 3rd grade to 4th grade to begin their dance journey.
JAZZ & HIPHOP II
Dance | Movement | Performance Arts
Ready to take your dancing to the next level? Jazz & Hip Hop II build on the basics and introduce dancers to more challenging combinations, powerful leaps, sharp turns, and stylized progressions. With upbeat popular music and high-energy choreography, dancers will strengthen their precision, flexibility, and technique while exploring isolations, musicality, and coordination. This class is all about growing your skills, building confidence, and having a blast while you dance! This ensemble is open to youth in 5th grade to 8th grade.
CHOIR: EMERGING VOICES
Music Production | Mixing & Mastering | Industry Skills
Sing, learn, and perform! This ensemble builds vocal skills and explores songs in many styles. Youth gain confidence, technique, and the joy of making music together. This ensemble is open to youth in 5th to 8th grade.
CHOIR: DEVELOPING VOICES
Music Production | Mixing & Mastering | Industry Skills
Developing Voices is a welcoming space where youth in 3rd and 4th grade can discover the joy of singing, build confidence, and grow as part of a supportive team. Through engaging rehearsals and exciting performances, choir members strengthen their musical skills, learn the value of collaboration, and experience the thrill of making music together.
SCROLL RIGHT ➟
800+
students learning, creating, and performing each year.
$13.5M+
raised for our new building project
13+
years of empowering youth through music and movement.
50+
live performances each year at schools, festivals, and city events.
15,000+
hours of music and arts instruction delivered.
hear it from our students
What BandWith does goes beyond music.
These are the voices of parents, students, and supporters who’ve felt the difference firsthand.
"BandWith feels like family. It’s helped me express myself through dance and become
more confident in who I am."
Jaliyah, Choir & Dance
“BandWith’s after school program takes me back to when I was young and we had programs and people who cared about the well-being of the kids. With programs like BandWith, youth throughout Chicago can see their
potential and value.”
Bernetta Smith, BandWith parent
“I can be having the worst day of my life and when I start dancing, I can feel a weight being lifted...
I feel dancing gives me the freedom to be happy."
Mario, Dance Team
"Music used to be just a hobby , now I see it as my future. BandWith gave me purpose and a path."
Kristian, Drums & Piano
“When I dance with BandWith, I feel free.
It’s like all the stress of the day just melts away.”
Angel, Dance
“Performing at Arts in the Dark was unforgettable — the energy, the crowd,
the pride. I’ll never forget it.”
Nylah, Drumline
UPCOMING EVENTS
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APRIL 11, 2026
Collaborative Concert with
UIC Gospel Choir & BandWith Chicago Choir
Time: 2:00-3:00pm
Location: BandWith, 148 S. California Avenue
Celebrating the life of Richard Smallwood, who was one of the most influential gospel composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. We sing his music to honor him and carry on his legacy. UIC Gospel Choir partners with Bandwith Chicago to help cultivate the next generation of gospel musicians and educate them about influential gospel composers and music.
Gospel’s purpose is to perform songs of the Gospel genre while honoring its history and upholding the genre as a fundamental building block of this nation's musical history. UIC Gospel Choir's repertoire fuses old Baptist and COGIC traditions with new contemporary Gospel styles. Under the direction of Caleb Blackmond, the Gospel Choir has become a staple group at UIC, performing at various events, concerts, basketball games, lectures, and commencement ceremonies.
APRIL 18, 2026
Inside the music library: bandwith sound sessions
Time: 3:00-5:00pm
Location: BandWith, 148 S. California Avenue
Once a month on the third Saturday, the Music Library becomes a gathering space for music lovers, storytellers, and curious listeners.
For April, join Hakeemah “Keema” Shamsuddin-Kirkland, founder of Keema’s Kickin’ Crew (K2C) and Adrian “DJ Chico” Kirkland of Chico’s DJ Service, for an informative session exploring the history and evolution of soul line dancing, with a focus on its impact in the Chicagoland area.
This cozy, interactive experience invites participants to listen, reflect, and explore how line dancing has created community, preserved culture, and sparked joy across generations. So come ready to relax, learn, and experience how music and movement continue to bring us together.
April 28, 2026
international jazz day: neighborhood night
Time: Doors open at 6:30pm || Show from 7:00-8:15pm
Location: BandWith, 148 S. California Avenue
Chicago is hosting International Jazz Day’s 15th Anniversary Celebration, coinciding with the United States’ 250th Anniversary, making it a once-in-a-generation cultural milestone. The celebrations showcase Chicago’s legacy and leadership in the world of jazz — past, present, and future — while advancing the mission to elevate the music, support the artists, and connect communities through the power of jazz.
Celebrate International Jazz Day with a jazz showcase reflecting West Side heritage with the Marques Carroll Quintet, Chicago Jesuit Academy, and BandWith Chicago youth.
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may 3, 2026
10th annual funky brunch 2.0
Time: 11:30am-2:30pm
Location: BandWith Chicago, 148 S. California Avenue
Funky Brunch 2.0! We’re replacing the 5K with a block party to center our celebration around partying in our new digs. For those competitors among us, there will still be ways to win!
In our 10th year, we are celebrating more than music — we are celebrating permanence. With a new home in East Garfield Park, your support affirms that businesses and community can grow together — investing in creativity, opportunity, & the next generation of artists.
