Girls Rock! Aotearoa has been helping young women, transgender, intersex, and gender diverse youth form bands, build instrument skills, and write original songs since 2018.
They are proud to announce that their Tāmaki Makaurau programme is back for 2022 with a new name: To The Front Tāmaki Makaurau.
The name change comes in order to better recognise and emphasise the diverse nature of the programme.
Girls Rock! organiser Ali Burns explains, “Given the holiday programme is neither just for girls or just about rock music we decided a rebrand was in order to ensure everyone involved felt absolutely welcome and comfortable.”
The To The Front name, having already successfully launched with 2021’s Pōneke programme, gives a nod to the feminist punk Riot Grrrl movement of the ’90s, where the phrase was popularised by bands such as Bikini Kill as a way to decentre white, cis, male music audiences.
Building on that legacy, we’re bringing women and gender minorities “to the front”.
To The Front Tāmaki Makaurau 2022 will be held between January 10th and 15th.
Once again the programme will be hosted by our key sponsor, SAE Creative Media Institute Auckland, allowing us access to their state of the art recording studios and equipment.
Applications for participants, mentors, volunteers, and interns open on September 15th.
