Kia Ora Koutou,
My name is Jessica, and I am on the board here at Creative Coromandel. I am also the social media coordinator for the Coromandel Artbeat Spring Festival this year!
I introduced myself in an earlier pānui; this month, I’m here to introduce our community to an organisation I am proud to be a part of: To The Front Aotearoa.
The main purpose of To The Front is to empower youth by providing them with knowledge and practical skills in a safe and supportive environment. To The Front creates and hosts programmes for young women, trans, intersex, takatāpui, queer and gender-diverse youth where music is the medium to build confidence and foster social change.
To The Front hosts annual holiday programmes throughout Aotearoa, where participants form bands, build instrument skills, participate in workshops, and write their own songs. These programmes are designed for youth aged 12-17, with no previous musical experience required. We currently have four of these programmes: Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Te Papaioea (Palmerston North), Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), and Pōneke (Wellington).
“The main purpose of To The Front is to empower youth by providing them with knowledge and practical skills in a safe and supportive environment.”
They also facilitate various workshops and events throughout the year, like the Roadie Crash Course workshop I hosted last month, thanks to SAE and Garden Music. They also create educational resources such as Top Tips with To The Front, featuring Kiwi music icons like Julia Deans and Liz Stokes!
I have participated in 3 To The Front annual programmes in Auckland and Hamilton in various roles: Gear Coordinator, Band Mentor, and Instrument Tutor.
This cause is close to my heart. I am incredibly passionate about equity in the music industry in New Zealand and the broader art community. My personal experiences as a young queer woman in artistic spaces growing up weren’t exactly the safest or most positive. Judgement and bigotry have no place getting in the way of allowing people to express themselves artistically. To The Front is exactly what I needed as a young creative; the support, resources and skills they give our rangatahi are life-changing and so sorely needed.
“Judgement and bigotry have no place getting in the way of allowing people to express themselves artistically.”
The Kaupapa: “To create the world we want to live in – a more equal and inspiring place. We are a charity organisation comprising musicians and music lovers with years of experience in the music industry. We are committed to guiding the advancement and empowerment of young women and intersex, transgender, takatāpui, queer and gender diverse youth.”
This is so important to our creative community that we need to role-model a more inclusive and supportive environment for our young people and, in turn, contribute to a dynamic and thriving arts industry.
Comprehensive impact reports are a true testament to the work we have done. Statistics from the 6th annual Tāmaki Makaurau 2023 report state that 95% of participants indicated that they had learned some new skills during their time at To the Front, and 74% of participants felt more confident in their musical abilities after attending To the Front (with 19% saying maybe).
We rely on the generosity of our community and our donors, so if you or anyone you know can offer any support, please get in touch with us using any of the links provided below!
With January coming up fast, I’m already preparing for my role as Gear Coordinator at To The Front Tāmaki Makaurau, Monday 13th – Saturday 17th January 2025, at SAE Creative Media Institute, Auckland. With To The Front’s continued success, I hope to create accessibility within our Hauraki Coromandel region and resource our rangatahi.
Ngā mihi nui,
Jessica Paton
