The SongBuddies Project
Photos by Bill Albrecht
OYOU Statewide In-Person Outreach: Expanding Access to the Arts Across Texas
Empowering Through the Arts
At the heart of OYOU’s mission is a belief that the arts should be accessible to everyone — regardless of financial circumstances, ability, age, or background. Founder Terri Hendrix knows this firsthand. Diagnosed with epilepsy at twenty-one, and later with spasmodic dysphonia, and essential vocal tremor, Terri turned to music and the creative arts not only as a lifeline but as a way to thrive personally and professionally. Depsite her medical conditions, she traveled the world with her music, and continues to perform, record, and release new music. Her experience inspired a lifelong passion to create inclusive spaces where others can discover their own voices and live their best lives.
OYOU SongBuddies
SongBuddies sessions are designed to be flexible in both length and format, providing accessible arts programming tailored to a wide range of participants and settings. Programs may be offered as one-on-one 45–60 minute workshops or as immersive 4–5 hour sessions with scheduled breaks. Groups from individual instruction up to 20 participants can be accommodated, with options for smaller collaborative settings depending on the goals of the host organization.
Each session is thoughtfully customized to ensure accessibility, creative engagement, and meaningful artistic growth. SongBuddies is intentionally designed to serve individuals of all abilities, including participants with intellectual, developmental, neurological, and physical disabilities. Instruction is adapted to support varied communication styles, sensory needs, mobility considerations, and learning differences, with an emphasis on dignity, autonomy, and authentic creative expression.
Curriculum design remains responsive to participant ability levels, learning styles, and facility resources. Many programs conclude with an optional sharing or performance for family, friends, and community members, celebrating each participant’s creativity and reinforcing confidence, connection, and joy in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Program Reach
The SongBuddies Project has been implemented at organizations and facilities across Texas, including:
Texas Commission on the Arts Events
Chase’s Place, Richardson, TX
Bugle Boy Foundation, And Then a New Day, Gray Legacy Services, La Grange, Smiley, and Schulenburg, TX
The Scheib Center, San Marcos, TX
Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research, Lubbock, TX
Wilory Farm Center for the Arts, Martindale, TX
Every Voice Belongs @ Gem of the Hills, Blanco, Texas
Online Outreach
OYOU SongBuddies also offers personalized one-on-one instruction with Terri Hendrix, available online worldwide. We welcome participants from all locations — contact our office to get started.
Why It Matters
The SongBuddies Project embodies OYOU’s vision of expanding access to the arts across Texas. By removing barriers and adapting to diverse needs, OYOU ensures that individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities are not only included, but celebrated. Each session empowers participants to communicate, connect, and thrive through music — the most universal language of all.
Terri Hendrix, OYOU’s Founder, SongBuddies Founder, and Executive Director
Own Your Own Universe (OYOU) is the nonprofit umbrella that supports grant-funded community arts programming, including SongBuddies and other inclusive music initiatives online and in-person.
Terri Hendrix, OYOU’s Founder and Executive Director, is also an independent Texas touring artist listed on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster.
When OYOU secures grants, funds are administered through the nonprofit to operate its community programs. When organizations book Terri Hendrix through the Texas Touring Roster, those engagements are contracted directly through her artist entity.
These structures ensure transparency, proper grant compliance, and financial clarity while allowing both the nonprofit and the artist work to thrive.