The local youth organization Girls Rock! RVA will collaborate with a well-known sketch artist this Friday at Gallery5 to release a coloring book to raise money for their annual summer camp.
The local youth organization Girls Rock! RVA will collaborate with a well-known sketch artist this Friday at Gallery5 to release a coloring book to raise money for their annual summer camp.
For the last six years, Girls Rock! RVA has worked to empower young women and gender non-conforming and trans youth through music, art and activism. Every summer, the organization holds a free, week-long musical empowerment camp and provides free instruments year-round through their free Richmond Instrument Lending Library.
The organization hosts several fundraisers throughout the year to provide more instruments and take on more kids each year at the camp. With this weekend’s fundraiser, Girls Rock! RVA aims to do just that by releasing a coloring book featuring sketches of local female and trans musicians drawn by Richmond artist Jennifer Kennedy.
“This one is really unique, we’ve been trying to figure out a way to work with Jennifer Kennedy for a few years now because what she does is so cool and unique to the Richmond music scene,” said Lindsey Spurrier, vocal instructor and events coordinator for Girls Rock! RVA. “This was the first time that any of us have done anything like this.”
Kennedy, who is known for her live action drawings of local musicians and bands, will have 240 drawings displayed at Gallery5 for the event and will also be drawing during the fundraiser.
She came to Spurrier in January wanting to help contribute something to the organization.
“I thought it was a really cool idea, adult coloring books are a big trend right now as well, {and} everyone is always so fascinated by her art,” said Spurrier.
Kennedy created the 16-page coloring book filled with performers exclusively from Richmond and plans to have it on sale at the fundraiser for $15. The book includes drawings of members of the psych-rock band Lady God, Dazeases, Avers, Magnus Lush and Christi among others.
“It’s across the spectrum, it’s not just vocalists or guitar players, there’s one of every instrument,” Spurrier said. “It’s going to be a really fun thing for adults and kids.”
Spurrier said Kennedy also created a Spotify playlist of the bands that are featured in the coloring book.
The event is free, and all of the proceeds from the coloring book will go to help fund the week-long camp which will be held from June 27th to July 1st at the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts this year.
Campers, who range from 8-14, get to see daily live performances by local musicians and participate in a wide range of workshops that aim to build self-confidence and encourage personal exploration. Spurrier said the organizers help the youth work on positive body image and self-defense, in addition to teaching them about music.
“We teach them how to play an instrument, they form bands and write a song, and at the end of the week we have a showcase,” she said.
The showcase will be held at The Broadberry on July 1st.
Spurrier added the camp normally has about 40 campers and this year they’ve been able to let in an extra 20.
The Girls Rock! RVA benefit featuring Jennifer Kennedy will take place this Friday, June 3rd, at Gallery5 at 6pm. Lobo Marino, Christi, Lady God and Avers are scheduled to perform at the fundraiser, all of whom Kennedy will be drawing live.
