Girls Write Nashville empowers expression through songwriting, production, mentorship and creative community for teen artists.

We are an artist- and educator-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit creative youth development program in Nashville, TN allied with community schools to create safe and trauma-informed creative communities and opportunities for cultural participation for youth.

Girls Write Nashville celebrates an inclusive definition of “girls” that celebrates and welcomes trans girls, AFAB people, nonbinary and gender expansive students, and anyone who feels they belong in our programming. Our community is LGBTQIA+-positive, neurodiversity-affirming and anti-racist.

Our History

Founded in 2016 as a one-time community arts project funded by a $2,800 micro-grant, the program continued into a community-based nonprofit after the initial participants requested it continue. Since then, we've grown to serve almost 300 students with over 5,500 hours of programming annually and been featured in NPR's Here & Now, named the Nashville Scene's "Best Teen Programming", and recognized as a semi-finalist for the Lewis Prize for Music.

Our Programs

In a GWN Writers Guild, participants learn to write and record original music in a supportive community of peers led by a trauma-informed teaching artist over the course of long term programming. Our original, research-based program model and curriculum is a trauma-informed Creative Youth Development program aligned with the standards of Culturally Responsive Education and is a community building "circle practice" aligned with Social Emotional Foundations Core Pracitices of Metro Nashville Public Schools' Multi-Tiered System of Support.

We currently operate the following programs:

Our flagship All City Mentorship program which pairs students in 8th-12th grade for mentorship with local artists
Seven afterschool programs in MNPS Title I middle schools meeting weekly for 25 weeks
An "All City" intermediate program for students in 8th-12 grade
Workshops ranging from 1-8 program meetings with community partners and schools.
Fun and expressive team-building songwriting workshops for corporate partners who wish to support our work.
Our Annual "Best of Nashville" Benefit Concert each fall in partnership with Lightning100 and 3rd & Lindsley featuring exciting headliner performances alongside youth artists celebrating the work of female songwriters.