Holiday Programme: Te Papaioea
We are proud to announce the return of our Palmerston North programme, To the Front Te Papaioea! The youth music programme will be held in the school holidays between Saturday 27 – Tuesday 30 September, hosted by Creative Sounds Society – The Stomach, Palmerston North.
Learn more or apply below!
Sept 6th & 7th 2025
Workshop: Mentor Skills
Are you keen to support the next generation of amazing musicians in Aotearoa? Want to learn how to mentor at a To The Front programme and become a part of the To The Front community?
Sept 14th 2025
Workshop: Songwriting with Princess Chelsea
Join us for an exciting songwriting workshop led by the amazing Princess Chelsea.
Guides: Top Tips Videos!
Get started on your music making journey with these practical videos from the To The Front team
2024 Annual Return
Check out our Annual Return for the year end 31 March 2024 to learn all about what we do at Girls Rock Aotearoa!
To The Front Ōtepoti Mentor Skills Weekend 2025
WHEN: September 6th & 7th 2025 – 10:00am – 2:00pm
WHERE: South Link Studios (Melville St, Dunedin Central)
COST: Free
WHO: Adults aged 18+ who identify as women, trans, intersex, takatāpui, queer or gender-diverse with an interest in music and supporting youth.
Are you keen to support the next generation of amazing musicians in Aotearoa? Want to learn how to mentor at a To The Front programme and become a part of the To The Front community? Join us for a FREE weekend of interactive learning through a mixture of making music and workshops with the To The Front team! This weekend can lead into paid employment opportunities later in the year.
– Two days of learning how to mentor at a To The Front programme and youthwork basics
– Partially simulating a To The Front programme so that participants can gain insight into how the programmes run, as well as training them to be able to be hired as a mentor at these programmes in the future
– We’ll be hanging out and making music together for the bulk of the weekend as our vehicle for learning. Come make some noise!
16 places available.
Applications are now closed.
Made possible by generous support from the Dunedin City Council and Otago Community Trust
Generously supported by South Link Productions.
Tāmaki Makaurau Songwriting Workshop with Princess Chelsea!
WHERE: Ockham Collective, 1 Nixon Street, Grey Lynn
COST: Free!
WHO: All Ages (recommended 12+)
Our kaupapa is to empower youth by giving them practical skills and role models in a safe, supportive space.
Our kaupapa is to empower youth by giving them practical skills and role models in a safe, supportive space.
17
Holiday programmes across 4 centres
17
Workshops across 5 centres
131
Bands formed
664
Youth engaged
Girls Rock Community & Kaupapa
The kaupapa of Girls Rock Aotearoa is to create the world we want to live in – a more equal and inspiring place.
Girls Rock Aotearoa has helped young women, trans, intersex, takatāpui, queer and gender diverse youth to explore music since 2018. In our programmes, students form bands, build instrument skills, participate in workshops and write their own songs.
We are proud to offer our programmes across the motu To The Front Pōneke, To The Front Tāmaki Makaurau, To The Front Te Papaioea and To The Front Kirikiriroa!
About To The Front
Girls Rock! Aotearoa runs youth programmes throughout the year under the name To The Front. The To The Front name, in use since 2021’s Pōneke programme, gives a nod to the feminist punk Riot Grrrl movement of the 90’s, 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”.
We are a non-profit organisation, made up of musicians and music lovers with years of music industry experience. We are committed to guiding the advancement and empowerment of youth through music.
What do our programmes look like?
To the Front is a paid holiday programme with an allocation of financial assistance available for low-income families. Participants aged 12 – 17 learn instruments, form bands, write original songs, and perform at a showcase, all guided by professional musicians in an inclusive environment. Alongside collaborative learning, participants will take part in workshops about DIY merch, mindfulness, and performance skills.
Girls Rock! Aotearoa launched with the kaupapa of fostering inclusivity in our musical communities by starting at the grassroots; with our rangatahi.
By creating an inclusive, fun, and supportive space for our young people, we’re helping to build a brighter future for music and musicians in Aotearoa.
By creating an inclusive, fun, and supportive space for our young people, we’re helping to build a brighter future for music and musicians in Aotearoa.
ANNUAL RETURNS
We’ve had a fantastic year at Girls Rock Aotearoa with our To the Front and Pathways programmes.
Check out our Annual Return for the year end 31 March 2024 to learn all about what we do at Girls Rock Aotearoa!
Girls Rock Aotearoa have been selected as the Tier 3 winners for the 2025 New Zealand For Purpose Reporting Awards.
The Awards, organised by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), celebrate best practice in adopting accounting standards which provide greater transparency and consistency in reporting across the sector.
“To the Front has been the most amazing experience ever. The support, the tutoring and just the sheer awesomeness of it all! I hope that To the Front can live on for eternity”
— Youth Participant
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