The Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs will launch programming for students with disabilities who are interested in theater starting in the spring 2019 semester. The institute currently provides opportunities for individuals with special needs ages 3 and up to learn about, experience, and create in the arts through music classes and lessons; adaptive dance programs; community programs; learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students; professional development for teachers; and partnerships with international, national, and regional organizations.
The new theater program, Daytime Moon Creations, will provide participants with opportunities to improvise and explore in theater activities, and to create a theater piece that they will perform at their final session. The content of the improvisations and the performance will be primarily driven by the student participants. Berklee staff and students, in addition to trained volunteers, will serve as instructors for the program.
Adding theater to the robust roster of learning opportunities at the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs has been a goal since we opened over a year ago, said Rhoda Bernard, managing director. We want to bring the joy of theater to students with special needs in an environment that allows them to thrive creatively and work collaboratively with one another.
The Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs serves as a leader in the field of arts education and special needs. Its work began at Boston Conservatory under Bernards direction in 2007. At that time, Boston Conservatory was the first performing arts college to offer private music lessons to individuals on the autism spectrum and, under the leadership of Deputy Chief of Staff Kim Haack, was the first school in Boston to present autism-friendly performances in 2013. In 2015, it was also the first conservatory in the nation to launch graduate training programs specifically in music education and autism.
The merger between Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music led to the creation of the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs, where this programming now resides. The institute is a catalyst for the inclusion of individuals with special needs in all aspects of visual and performing arts education. The institutes three areas of work are: arts education programs for people with disabilities; graduate programs and courses in music education and autism; and professional development for educators, artists, administrators, researchers, and others in the field of arts education and special needs.
Related categories:
News
Related Reading
Rhoda Bernard Elected to Arts Education Advisory Council for Americans for the Arts Rhoda Bernard, managing director of the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs, was recently elected to the Arts Education Advisory Council of Americans for the Arts.
Inaugural ABLE Assembly: Arts Better the Lives of Everyone Conference The Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs presented its inaugural ABLE Assembly: Arts Better the Lives of Everyone conference on April 6-8 at Berklee College of Music.
Five Ways Giving Helps Berklee Students This Wednesday, Berklee celebrates philanthropy with Giving Day, in which the institution is seeking to hit a goal of 250 donations, each of any amount. That money helps make a variety of projects and opportunties possible. Here are five ways these donations, and other financial gifts, help students.
More from Berklee Now
Most Popular
Six Berklee Alumni Recognized at Latin Grammy Awards Six Berklee alumni took home Latin Grammy Awards across three categories at the November 15 ceremony.
Latest
Berklee to Launch Theater Programming for Students with Special Needs Starting next semester, the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs will launch programming for students with disabilities who are interested in theater.
Poppy.jpg
Curtis's Prime Slices: Poppy, Y La Bamba Read about and hear new releases recommended by BIRN staff member Curtis Heimburger during the week of November 11.
The BIRN
Joji.jpg
Erin's Prime Slices: Joji, Charles Bradley Read about and hear new releases recommended by BIRN staff member Erin Ober during the week of November 11.
THE BIRN
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
Berklee Blogs
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Snapchat
Soundcloud
Spotify
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Deepens Partnership with Taiwan's 62nd Golden Hors...
25/11/2025
Tracy Bonareri Onchoke, an investigative journalist from Kenya is the winner of the Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist Award 2025.
The 26-year-old-sele...
25/11/2025
SVG All-Stars: Blayke Scheer, Senior Director, Creative Content, YES NetworkThe Indiana alum has turned storytelling into an artform for more than two decadesBy...
25/11/2025
Op-Ed: With FCC's C-Band Auction on the Horizon, Broadcasters Need Proven, C...
25/11/2025
Analysis: Is Baller League really the future of sport? By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 10:10
Print This Story
With KSI on...
25/11/2025
Platinum Whitepaper: The Growth of Broadcast in the World of Major Large Scale E...
25/11/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: SVG Women's Sports WorkshopBy Samantha Gabay
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 10:27 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlig...
The Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs will launch programming for students with disabilities who are interested in theater starting in the spring 2019 semester. The institute currently provides opportunities for individuals with special needs ages 3 and up to learn about, experience, and create in the arts through music classes and lessons; adaptive dance programs; community programs; learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students; professional development for teachers; and partnerships with international, national, and regional organizations.
