Transforming Lives Through the UNI Spectrum Project
Droe, K. L. (2026). Transforming Lives Through the UNI Spectrum Project. In M. E. Culp, K. Salvador & and V. W. Davis (Eds.), Toward Equity in School Music: Ideas for Practice in Music Teacher Education. Oxford University Press.
The Spectrum Project at the University of Northern Iowa is an inclusive, multidisciplinary program that incorporates music, art, drama, and dance tailored for children aged 5–19 with disabilities. Each performer is paired with a volunteer Buddy, typically a college student from any major, including those from surrounding institutions. Creative direction is led by college students collaborating with performers to transform performers’ ideas into engaging activities and scenes. Rehearsals, held every Saturday from January through April, culminate in a final performance at the university’s performing arts center, which seats over 1,300 attendees. In this chapter, I delve into the planning and strategies involved in executing a season of the UNI Spectrum Project and provide a flexible framework adaptable to other instructional contexts. When addressing equity in arts education, making the arts accessible to individuals with disabilities is essential to ensuring inclusivity for all.
Keywords: disabilities, arts education, inclusion, arts equity
