Jazz Camp for Girls goes international + Summer Camp!
Delegates at the Jazz Camp for Girls Conference in Helsinki June 2025
“Music is a powerful gift that connects us human beings. Jazz has been an important part of my life for a long time. I warmly encourage women and girls to take a more visible role in jazz music. I wish you a successful Jazz Camp for Girls conference!”
Jazz North team member Helena Summerfield recently travelled to Helsinki for the Jazz Camp for Girls summit. This had been organised by Suomen Jazzliitto / Finnish Jazz Federation and Jazz Danmark, made possible with support from the Nordisk Kulturfond. The summit gave participants the opportunity to share good practice, explore inclusive approaches to music education and possibilities of long-term international cooperation.
The summit was opened with a message of support from Tarja Kaarina Halonen Finnish President - the first women to achieve that position in their country (2000-2012). The programme was organized at Keskustakirjasto Oodi Pertin Valinta and Nordisk kulturkontakt with ‘walk and talk’ sessions around Helsinki’s fascinating city centre.
Jazz Camp for Girls is now delivered by a strong network of partners across Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, England, Republic of Ireland, Canada, India and Germany.
Helena (bottom left) at a summit session.
Helena says “I felt honoured to be invited to the summit. It was wonderful to meet my counterparts from the international camps and to hear about their projects. I particularly enjoyed the creative session delivered by Anders Boye Knudsen from Jazz Danmark and have come away with lots of new ideas that I can’t wait to put into practice”.
And good news for the UK. Thanks to funding from Nordisk Kulturfond, Jazz North is able to pilot a longer 4-day summer camp in partnership with the Sound! Music Hub. This will be taking place at Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot from Monday 28th - Thursday 31st July. Places for individuals who reside in the Liverpool City Region and Warrington are fully funded and you can book your space at the camp via this link
https://online1.snapsurveys.com/JazzCampForGirlsRegistration2025
