Who We Are

Founded in 2016, Girls Rock NL is a volunteer run, non-profit organization in St. John’s, NL. We offer a week-long rock camp in July for girls, transgender, two spirit and non-binary youth. Campers join a band, learn an instrument, attend workshop and lunchtime concerts, and rock out on stage at the end of the week!

GRNL fosters confidence, leadership, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration through music and performance empowering campers, while encouraging a more diverse and inclusive city.

Girls Rock NL hopes to foster self-esteem and self-awareness by:

1) Providing meaningful programming in the areas of instrument instruction, technical training, music creation and performance, leadership building, and cultural criticism;

2) Creating an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of all girls, transgender, two spirit and non-binary , folks of all backgrounds and abilities;

3) Building a community of mentors and leaders;

4) Building partnerships within our community, throughout the province, and with other Girls Rock Camps worldwide.

Our dream is for Girls Rock NL to maintain a sustainable annual summer camp and build a long-term network of campers, staff, community members, and stakeholders interested in the empowerment and musical leadership of girls, transgender, two spirit and non-binary youth throughout our province.

In 2016, a group of local musicians and artists founded Girls Rock NL after observing a lack of diversity at music festivals in St. John’s. The desire to see more diverse representation in our local arts scene, and the hope that creating a welcoming space and fostering mentorship would encourage positive change, founded GRNL.

Our board of directors, as well as an overwhelming community of volunteers, sponsors and partners work year-round to help make camp happen, from organizational planning, fundraising, programming to community partnership.

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CAMPER TESTIMONIAL

I applied to girls rock camp because I thought it would be a really fun experience, I’d get to know a lot more people, a lot about music and I’d learn so much more about how to respect people and get respected. Never put yourself down, keep going. My favourite activity was definitely playing the drums. That was wicked!”

MacKenzie, Former GRNL Camper 

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CAMPER TESTIMONIAL

Everybody here is so nice and inspired me to do so many things: my vocals and to play an instrument. The creativity is so reinforced.”

Former GRNL Camper 

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CAMPER TESTIMONIAL

I learned that you can’t really do anything wrong in music. I got a lot less shy. Last year I didn’t speak one word until Wednesday.”

Bitty, Former GRNL Camper 

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CAMPER TESTIMONIAL

The word that I would describe for this camp unique. This is a girls camp and it’s the only one in Newfoundland and that’s what I like about it.”

Jessie, Former GRNL Camper