The SHOF is always advocating for educational diversity, especially in today's world. A few years ago, SHOF board member Nancy Munoz founded FreeHorse Arts which provides inclusive arts education and nature-based equine experiential learning for individuals with diverse abilities. Nancy and her FHA colleagues including SHOF board member, inductee and GRAMMY/Oscar winning songwriter, Paul Williams, have impressively expanded its scope, showing how songwriting is being focused on through diversity:
With an awareness of the ever-widening circle of community, on-line learning is customized to ensure optimal individual and group participation. To meet the needs of participants 17 years and older who have ‘aged out’ of most educational options, services have been provided free of charge during the pandemic. Early last year, one of the programs, FreeHorse Arts On Tour, which was designed to create opportunities for those with and without special needs to perform on-stage with touring artists, quickly morphed into FreeHorse Arts LIVE online.
During one session entitled ‘Creativity Through Songwriting’, two classes of young adults drew from their own experience to write and collaborate on lyrics, learn about percussion, melody and harmony, and became songwriters in the process!
Watch the creation process here!
Along with the rest of the innovative programs, a modified version of ‘Creativity Through Songwriting’ will be offered to meet the expanding needs of participants from The Autism Society; and FreeHorse Arts is launching a Spirited Seniors Series for those living in residential and continuing care facilities. In addition, FreeHorse Arts is developing curricula with a variety of partners to make the power of arts and equine experiential learning accessible to children and families in BIPOC communities.
For more information, visit www.freehorsearts.org.
