JazzCamp for Girls International
Introduction
JazzCamp for Girls International is a global initiative dedicated to addressing the gender imbalance in the music industry by empowering young girls to explore jazz, improvisation, and composition. Originally launched in Denmark in 2014, the project has grown into an international movement with a mission to create safe, creative spaces where girls can discover their musical potential.
Contact
JazzCamp for Girls International
Jazz Camp for Girls aims at increasing the girls’ interest in playing and composing music. The project offers a unique opportunity for girls at the age of 10-15, who want to try working with composition and improvisation, no matter the choice of instrument or previous experience.
By creating a safe space through music, the girls can practice and acquire new skills.
Jazz Camp for Girls was initiated by Jazz Danmark and Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 2014 and has ever since provided more than a thousand Danish girls the opportunity to improvise and play jazz together.
In 2019, the project was adopted in England, and from 2022 and onwards, Finland, Sweden, Poland joined. In 2023, Turkey and Canada became partners, and in 2024 we welcomed Belgium and India to the project.
In 2022 The New York Times did a reportage from JazzCamp for Girls in Denmark. Read it here.
But perhaps the most important lesson for the students at Jazz Camp for Girls is that there is a place for them in jazz at all.
The New York Times, july 2022
Photo: Grażyna Iłowiecka
Photo: Arkadiusz Awrywianiec
Partners
JazzCamp for Piger 2025 in Denmark is a collaboration between JazzDanmark and 11 public music schools across the country; Aarhus Musikskole, Musikhøjskolen Frederiksberg, Mariagerfjord Musikskole, Holbæk Kulturskole, Kulturskolen Kolding, Rytmisk Center København, Odense Musikskole, Den Kreative Skole i Silkeborg, Vordingborg Musikskole, Aalborg Kulturskole og Kulturskolen Esbjerg
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Denmark is hosted by Jazz Danmark. If you wanna know more get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls coordinator:
Anders Boye, Jazz Danmark
anders@jazzdanmark.dk
National website / more information:
HA Concerts in Ghent indtroduced Jazz Camp for Girls in Belgium in 2024.
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Belgium is hosted by HA Concerts. If you wanna know more, please get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Evelien De Jaeger, HA Concerts
evelien.dejaeger@haconcerts.be
National website / more information:
https://muziekmozaiek.be/project/jazz-camp-for-girls/
Jazz Camp for Girls took place for the very first time in Canada in Calgary, Alberta in November 2023.
The next edition is planned for the spring of 2026.
Hosted by Buckingjam Palace in collaboration with JazzDanmark.
The 2023-edition was supported by Nordic Bridges, The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Danish Ministry of Culture, CADME, Long&McQuade.
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Canada is hosted by Buckingjam Palace. If you wanna know more please get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Lisa Buck, Buckingjam Palace
lisa@buckingjampalace.com
National website / more information:
Jazz North introduced Jazz Camp for Girls in England in 2019.
Jazz Camp for Girls in England is coordinated by Jazz North, the strategic development agency for jazz in the north of England.
39 jazz camps have taken place across the north of England
14 different regions Beverley, Bury, Cumbria, Doncaster, Grimsby, Huddersfield, Hull, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Prescot, Rotherham, Sheffield and Trafford.
619 girls have attended a jazz camp event so far.
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in England is hosted by Jazz North. If you wanna know more please get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Helena Summerfield, Jazz North
helena@jazznorth.org
National website / more information:
https://www.jazznorth.org/jazz-camp-for-girls
Since 2022, Jazzcamp for Girls in Finland has provided Finnish girls with a unique opportunity to develop their musical talents and contribute to gender equality in the jazz community.
In 2025, JazzCamp for Girls took place in Turku, Espoo and Pori in collaboration with The Finnish Jazz Federation and:
– Pori Jazz Festival in collaboration with the Palmgren Conservatory.
– Turku Sea Jazz Festival in collaboration with Jazz City Turku and the Turku Conservatory
– April Jazz Festival in Espoo.
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Finland is hosted by Finnish Jazz Federation. If you wanna know more please get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Maria Silvennoinen, Executive Director Finnish Jazz Federation
info@jazzfinland.fi
National website / more information:
https://www.jazzfinland.fi/
JazzCamp for Girls was introduced at jazzahead! in Bremen in 2025.
JazzCamp for Girls as Special Focus
Improvisation and jazz for children has been one of the core topics in the specialist program since jazzahead! was founded. While the first events were held at a local level, the topic has developed over a national to an international focus. With the JazzCamp for Girls held in the second week of the Easter holidays, jazzahead! teamed up with the internationally active music institution Jazz Danmark, giving sixteen girls the opportunity to spend four days at the museum Universum Bremen learning about rhythmical instruments in jazz and forming their own band. They were accompanied by the two teachers Magdalena Otto and Johanna Borchert.
Additionally, the self-standing ‘Improvisation & Jazz for Children’ programme designed for jazzahead! professional participants took place during the trade fair
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Germany is hosted by jazzahead!
If you wanna know more please get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Jakob Fraisse, jazzahead!
Fraisse@jazzahead.de
National website / more information:
https://jazzahead.de/festival/impro-and-jazz-for-kids/
Jazz Camp for Girls started in India in 2024 in Kolkata in a collaboration with Jazzfest Kolkata, Jazz+ and Jazz Danmark.
The project in India is a collaboration between Kolkata Jazz Festival, Meta Arts, New Town School Kolkata, Det Danske Kulturinstitut og Jazz Danmark.
The editions in 2024 and 2025 was supported by Gangstedfonden, Det Danske Kulturinstitut, Kolkata Jazz Fest, Meta Arts and Statens Kunstfond.
Get in touch
If you wanna know more please get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Arnab Banerjee, Founder, META ARTS
metaarts@outlook.com
National website / more information:
https://www.facebook.com/metaartsblr
JazzCamp for Girls took place in Katowice for the first time in 2022 in collaboration with Jazz Art Festival and Katowice City of Gardens.
Since then, the JazzCamp has expanded to Szczecin in collaboration with Filharmonia Szczecin, Eryk Sp. z o. o., MUSIC.MULTIMEDIA.MANAGEMENT and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Semente Productions has made Jazz Camp for Girls in Stockholm, Sweden since 2022 and in 2025 expanded with a winter edition in Gothenburg.
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Sweden is hosted by Semente Productions.
If you wanna know more about this specific camp get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador:
Loredana Franza, Semente Productions
info@semente.se
National website / more information:
https://www.semente.se/jazzcampforgirls
In 2023, Istanbul became the first Turkish city to host a Jazz Camp for Girls.
Get in touch
Jazz Camp for Girls in Turkey is hosted by Kesif and Bozcaada Jazz Festival. If you wanna know more about this specific camp get in touch with our local Jazz Camp for Girls ambassador.
National website / more information:
https://bozcaadacazfestivali.com/en/jazz-camp-for-girls-2024/
Join the movement
Want to join as a JCFG-partner?
Contact project coordinator Anders Boye Knudsen at anders@jazzdanmark.dk
Ressources
