We’re on a mission to empower young people through music and mentorship. We are here to shift how young people think about the world and their place in it. By sharing skills and experience, rooted in our common passion for music, we inspire our students to see a future that’s filled with potential – and help them be excited and accountable.
We cultivate an enriching community bound by the arts. United by community-based performances. Powered by high-quality instruction. Inspired by meaningful connections between professional musicians and our community’s youth. Because the world changes when people find their voices – and have the opportunity to be heard.
A safe, supported world filled with music and opportunity, where all young people can discover and reach their full potential.
of students reported that Guitars Over Guns has helped them feel more confident taking healthy risks and trying new things.
of students could identify a personal goal they set and achieved with the help of a Guitars Over Guns mentor.
of students agree that Guitars Over Guns has helped them learn to appreciate their own talents and abilities.
of students reported using the skills they learned through Guitars Over Guns to help them make positive decisions in their everyday lives.
We launched our flagship music mentoring program with only 15 students at North Miami Middle School in 2008. From Homestead to Little Havana to Miami Gardens and beyond, we now serve hundreds of students annually through no-cost after-school, community-based and summer programs.
In 2014, we partnered with UCAN to bring the first GOGO Chicago program to life. Our Chicago region now encompasses the South, West, and Southwest sides of the city, with a variety of in-school, after-school, community-based, and summer programs offered at no cost to youth.
Following a virtual Covid-year pilot, our first in-person program in Los Angeles launched in January 2022. Our inaugural team of LA-based mentors brought guitar, bass, piano, and songwriting instruction to a cohort of two dozen students at USC Hybrid High in Historic South Central.
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Guitars Over Guns is funded in part by The Children’s Trust. The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.
Made possible with the support of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
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