Dr. Rhoda Bernard Releases Groundbreaking Debut Book on Accessible Arts Education The first-of-its-kind guide, set to publish September 19, offers a framework for inclusive arts instruction to support and empower students of all abilities.
By
Daniel Pesquera
August 28, 2025
Megan Bent
Dr. Rhoda Bernard, the founder and managing director of Berklee's Institute of Accessible Arts Education (BIAAE), will release her debut book Accessible Arts Education: Principles, Habits, and Strategies to Unleash Every Student's Creativity and Learning on Friday, September 19. Published by Solution Tree Press, the first-of-its-kind guide offers comprehensive and practical strategies for inclusive arts instruction that nurtures and empowers students of all backgrounds and ability levels.
This work is a lifelong dream of mine, and I am incredibly honored to share it with a community of educators, students, and artists who have inspired me for decades, said Bernard, who also serves as assistant chair of the Music Education Department at Berklee. I am grateful to the many talented individuals who helped to make this book a reality, including the publishing team, my colleagues at Berklee and many other partner organizations, nearly two dozen artists with disabilities, and the countless students and educators who have taught me so much over the years, and who continue to teach me every day.
Dr. Rhoda Bernard
Accessible Arts Education serves instructors in K-12 schools, higher education, and community settings wherever dance, music, theater, and visual arts are taught. Inspired by Bernards own experiences as an innovator and leader in the field of inclusive arts education, the guide provides teachers with a proven framework on how to reduce barriers, support and nurture a diverse population of learners, and create an equitable environment where all students can grow and thrive.
In addition, Accessible Arts Education features artwork and quotes from disabled artists, including Megan Bent, a Boston-based artist who contributed the cover art as well as several other illustrations throughout the book. The book's foreword was written by Stephen Shore, an autistic musician, scholar, and internationally renowned speaker. A launch party on Tuesday, October 9, at David Friend Recital Hall will celebrate Bernard and the artists who contributed to the book, with performances by student musicians from the BIAAE.
As a disabled artist who is also an arts educator, it was deeply meaningful to illustrate Dr. Bernards book, Accessible Arts Education, said Bent. I know firsthand how the arts can empower and sustain you. It is essential that arts education is inclusive and accessible for all students.
A long-standing advocate for access to the arts and arts education for all, Bernard began to pioneer accessibility within the arts education space soon after joining Boston Conservatory. In 2007, she created a one-of-a-kind program for students on the autism spectrum, which developed into the BIAAE and was formally launched in 2017. Today, more than 320 individuals with disabilities engage in the BIAAE's arts education programs every week. Through private and group instruction led by highly trained and compassionate educators, the BIAAE has helped artists unlock their potential for learning, performing, and creating in the arts. To provide training and support for pre-service and in-service arts educators, the BIAAE also offers first-of-their-kind graduate programs in music education and autism and a wide range of professional development programs and resources.
Dr. Bernards book is a transformative guide that solidifies her legacy as a pioneer in the field, drawing upon her extensive experience leading the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education, said Lenora Helm Hammonds, dean of the Professional Education Division. Her work continues to shape the future of music education, ensuring that students with disabilities have the opportunity to pursue their artistic passions, and families and adults have the support needed to live vibrant lives through the arts.
In 2023, the institute was highlighted by PBS Newshour as part of the show's CANVAS series on art and health. More recently, in April 2025, the BIAAE sponsored a performance by the Music Inclusion Ensemble at the Berklee Performance Center, which featured several musicians from the program.
Accessible Arts Education is available for pre-order at Solution Tree's website and on Amazon. Learn more about the Berklee Institute of Accessible Arts Education.
Related Categories
News
Most Popular
Image by Maddie Ross, courtesy of Tape Op magazine
Building a Home Recording Studio? Here's What You Need. Experts break down the home studio setup and share tips to create a pro-level recording space on any budget.
Latest
Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble Presents Autumn Walk The free concert, part of Brass Festival Weekend, is the first Center Stage performance of the fall semester.
Jenna Ortega stars as the lead character in the Netflix original series Wednesday.
Image courtesy of Netflix
Alum Esin Ayd ng z Pens Nevermore Alma Mater' for Netflix's Wednesday The Grammy-nominated composer appears on this season's soundtrack alongside Lady Gaga, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and more.
Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon
Photo courtesy of The Verdon Fosse Legacy
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Announces Five-Year Partnership with The Verdon Fosse Legacy The Verdon Fosse Legacy will be in residence twice a year to reconstruct Bob Fosse masterworks for Dance Division students.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
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...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
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
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
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...
Dr. Rhoda Bernard Releases Groundbreaking Debut Book on Accessible Arts Education The first-of-its-kind guide, set to publish September 19, offers a framework for inclusive arts instruction to support and empower students of all abilities.
