Camden Rep to Present Hammer and Nails Conference for Young Girls of Color

Camden Rep will introduce girls of color between the ages of 14 and 18 to behind-the-scenes careers in theater and film with the company’s first Hammer and Nails Conference on Monday, Feb. 3 at Creative Arts High School, located on the campus of Camden High.

Bringing together industry professionals with young, future creatives for a day of inspiration, learning and empowerment, the conference aims to create a career pipeline to the design, technical and production sides of theater and film. The three-pronged event will include a panel discussion featuring Toni Barton (production designer for film and TV), Pamela Hobson (tour manager and lighting designer), Kathy A. Perkins (lighting designer and professor emerita of Africa/African Diaspora theater) and Marci Rodgers (award-winning Costume Designer); a 45-minute hands-on session during which attendees can gain practical experience in key areas of the design and production process; and a Meet-and-Greet Lunch, offering the girls a unique opportunity to connect with the panelists, gaining inspiration and guidance for their own creative paths.

Sponsored by the American Theater Wing’s Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative and in partnership with the I Dare to Care Association, the Hammer and Nails Conference represents Camden Rep's commitment to diversifying the creative industries by giving young women the tools, knowledge and inspiration to pursue careers in design and production. By showcasing diverse professionals who have successfully navigated these fields, the conference aims to spark new possibilities for the next generation. 

“We’ve been working diligently to bring this vision of to life, and the time has finally come,” says Camden Rep founding artistic director Desi P. Shelton. “This presents a unique opportunity to empower young girls of color and encourage them to consider design and administrative careers in the arts.”

Camden Rep has worked to build community and amplify voices in Camden, NJ since its founding in 2005. In addition to a main stage season that operates from September through June, the company uses theater to improve life and literature skills of at-risk children through its P.A.C.E. (Preparing Artists for College Entrance) program, training and developing serious pre-professional young artists and helping them prepare for college auditions; assisting with the application and financial aid process; offering supplementary education in written language, cultural, financial, emotional and social literacy; and creating jobs and apprentice training for returning college students. Camden Rep continues to successfully make monumental strides every year: touring in Panama; creating an alliance with Bridgeton’s Youth to Youth; and assisting students in obtaining scholarships to two of the top music programs including Oberlin Conservatory and Berklee College of Music in addition to Florida A&M, Morgan State University, University of the Arts and Temple University. The company also conducts intergenerational arts workshops during the summer for artists ranging in age from eight to 80.

Shelton received her B.A. from Northeastern University and her M.F.A. in theater from Sarah Lawrence College. Upon returning to Camden, she heard her friends and neighbors complain that they were not welcome at local university venues, that they had no artistic outlet in Camden, and that their stories were being left untold — leading Desi to found Camden Rep, attracting first time theatergoers in the African American community and increasing audience attendance by 200%. She has received the Valentine Foundation Award for female executives and is a Dodge Emerging Leader. She completed the Woman and Power Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and is a recipient of a Leeway Transformation Award for social change artists.

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