Guitars Over Guns

Guitars Over Guns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers students from vulnerable communities in Miami, Chicago, LA and New York a powerful combination of arts education and mentorship with professional artists and musicians to help them overcome hardship, find their voice and reach their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. By sharing skills and experience, rooted in our common passion for the arts, we inspire our students to see a future that's filled with potential - and help ignite their excitement for and ownership of that future.

Established in 2008, we have served over 10,000 students. In Miami, we currently operate programs at 20 middle schools,4 high schools, 5 community studios and 9 summer camps. All of our mentors receive trauma informed care training and leverage a shared songbook and teaching curriculum. Every 8 weeks our students participate in a showcase where they take healthy risks, such as getting on stage. Built into our curriculum is our M-Power Mental Health Program and Career Readiness Program. Our end game is to ensure our young people all have a pathway after high school and are given the support to become the best versions of themselves.

School-Based Programs
We partner with middle schools, high schools, and K-8 centers across the country to offer after-school programming that engages students in creative disciplines ranging from instrumental music (guitar, bass, drums, keys), vocals, songwriting, and music production to rap and hip hop, creative writing, spoken word, and visual art. Students receive one-on-one and ensemble instruction, close mentoring relationships, and academic support.

Community-Based Programs
We operate summer camps, alumni programs, and community recording studios in neighborhood hubs that welcome participants outside of our school portfolio. Our community-based programs have collaborated with performing arts centers, parks departments, churches, and recording studios to present accessible arts-based enrichment that reaches youth in their own communities.

M-Power Mental Health Program
In the Fall of 2019, we launched M-Power, our first-ever dedicated mental health initiative. The program, powered by the Florida Blue Foundation, provides accessible mental health counseling and resources to our youth, embedded within our arts-based mentorship programming. Our mentorship team also receives vital, year-round trainings and professional development around Positive Youth Development (PYD) and trauma-informed best practices.