History of Girls Rock Denver

Girls Rock Denver (GRD) is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to empowering girls through music education, creation, and performance. In July 2009, GRD hosted Colorado's first nonprofit rock camp for girls, and we are now planning our third camp session for July 11 - 16, 2011.

Girls Rock Denver originally formed in fall 2007 in order to organize Colorado's participation in the Girls Rock Camp Alliance's (GRCA) annual 50 shows in 50 states benefit. Given the success of the benefits, it was easy to see that Denver both needed and wanted a girls rock camp. In April 2008, Girls Rock Denver, the Denver Roller Dolls, and Neighborhood Flix teamed up to welcome filmmaker Arne Johnson and the Denver premiere of Girls Rock! The Movie. The film and another successful weekend of benefit events garnered the volunteer support Girls Rock Denver needed to start organizing the camp. For the next year, a dedicated group of women worked hard to bring Denver its own girls rock camp.

The first GRD camp was held in Denver July 27 - August 1, 2009. At camp, 25 girls aged 8-18 came together to receive instrument instruction, participate in a variety of workshops and activities, form bands, write an original song, and perform their music in a public showcase. No experience was required - just a willingness to try something new, work together, make some noise, and (most importantly) be heard.

In 2010, we did it again! From July 12th - 17th, 29 girls and over 60 volunteers gathered for a week of rockin' at our second camp session. From early morning to early evening, our campers learned about exceptional women rockers past and present, honed their musical skills under the tutelage of female musician mentors, and collaborated with their band mates to compose seven original rock songs that thrilled a packed audience at the Oriental Theater.

At its core, GRD's goal is to empower girls through music. We started this camp to provide a forum for the kind of encouragement and positive relationships with girls of our own age and older women that was lacking when we were growing up. Although girls can take private music lessons or attend a different rock camp, there is currently no other local music program designed specifically for girls and run entirely by women. We believe that learning to write original music in a supportive, all-female space can be an incredibly empowering experience.

Throughout the year, our volunteers work diligently to ensure each camp is a fun, positive experience and to share our project and mission in the local community. We host benefits showcasing women musicians, speak at conferences and college campuses, and work with like-minded organizations to build a sustainable support network for young women in the Denver music scene.

There's no other form of expression as strong as music. It allows one to speak her mind to a mass of people and have fun while doing it. While pouring your heart out in front of a room full of strangers can be frightening, music holds your hand through the process, allowing you to not feel alone. Self-expression and speaking one's mind are often frowned upon when you're a girl. Music is a safe space (and a universal one) in which girls can find and explore their voices.

Despite the egalitarian nature of rock 'n' roll and the fact that it requires no formal training or access to expensive equipment, women are too often spectators rather than players, producers, and writers when it comes to popular music. Encouraging girls to find their voices musically not only will increase positive representations of women overall, it will increase the variety of women who are represented in the music industry.

We consider our program to be successful if girls leave each camp session with a greater sense of confidence in their abilities to try new things and knowing that music belongs to everyone. We believe that many girls will leave our camp with the ability and desire to promote collaboration and creativity in other facets of their lives and communities.