Just like lots of areas of life, there is a real lack of women making electronic music. Why is this? Do we not like music? Do we not love to dance? Do we feel like we just won’t be good enough? Gash Collective is an organisation of female DJ’s and music makers who are working really hard to encourage girls to get involved in the electronic music scene.

Ellen King (ELLLL) started the organisation with some of her friends, and told the Irish Times, “People think that women don’t want or have no interest in music technology, even in terms of sound engineering, production or setting up their decks. It’s not like anyone is saying ‘no, you can’t do this’, but you do feel like a bit of an outsider because it’s so male dominated and there’s so few opportunities. It comes back to the the visibility aspect. If people saw more women on event line-ups, it would become more normal. But at the moment because you don’t see them – especially early on in your music career, you feel like you don’t belong or you’re intruding. There’s this weird sense that maybe it’s not for you.”

This short film features some inspiring women who DJ and produce including ELLLL, Aoife Nic Canna, Cailín, Joni and Sally Cinnamon.

https://youtu.be/ooZR1MdRpxw

The workshops provide a safe space for girls to try something new, with encouragement and advice, and without judgement. Dates are:

MOVE THE NEEDLE CORK

DJ and Production Skills Workshop
3pm – 7pm, Saturday, 22nd July
Wandesforth Gallery

MOVE THE NEEDLE BELFAST

DJ and Production Skills Workshop
3pm – 7pm, Saturday, 15th July
Catalyst Arts

MOVE THE NEEDLE DUBLIN

DJ and Production Skills Workshop
3pm – 7pm, Saturday, 12th August
The Tara Building

You can register for any of these workshops here: http://www.thisgreedypig.com/MoveTheNeedle/