Building Community Through Music, Art, Work and Friendship in Cincinnati

Think about how most friendships start. Someone likes the same band you do. You keep showing up at the same games, the same open mic or the same art class. Friendship can grow out of something two people both enjoy, or simply from being in the same place at the same time.

For adults with disabilities, those friendship starting points can be harder to find. The transition out of school can bring a significant loss of services and supports, a drop researchers studying young adults with autism have called the “services cliff.”¹ Loneliness is another concern. Research in the United Kingdom found adults with disabilities were more than three times as likely to experience substantial loneliness as their peers without disabilities.² And in a large U.S. study of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving state services, 42% reported feeling lonely. That same study found that having friends was linked to lower loneliness for adults living in the community, and that getting out into the community and having a job were linked to lower loneliness too.³

Too often, the opportunities that do exist are built around the one thing everyone has in common, having a disability, rather than around what people actually enjoy. There are few activities outside the 9-to-5 day, transportation can be hard to come by, and there are few chances to share creative talents with the wider community.

At Ken Anderson Alliance, we start with interests, and we build every program to reach out into Greater Cincinnati. Community integration isn’t just one program at KAA — it shows up in everything we do. That includes removing the transportation barrier: in 2025 alone, KAA logged more than 31,000 miles getting participants where they want to go.

Here’s how each of our programs builds connection.

Creative Arts: Finding Connection Through Music and Art

Through our Adult Day Services, participants choose a path in Music, Art or Community Outings. Some focus on one, while others choose a combination.

Music is a central part of life at KAA. At the heart of our music programs is music therapy, led by licensed music therapists. We practice a model called community music therapy, which builds on each participant’s strengths and moves beyond the therapy room into real-world experiences, like performing and attending concerts.

Participants who choose music can become part of the band, learning their favorite pop, rock, R&B and country songs on keyboard, drums, guitar or voice, and performing at KAA and around the community.

For participants who aren’t drawn to traditional instruments, the Hero Radio Podcast and Urban Soundscapes offer a different way into music. Participants explore parks, libraries and other community spaces, meet local musicians and community members, and turn those experiences into something of their own, from podcast interviews to music created with everyday sounds from around Greater Cincinnati.

In our art sessions, participants explore painting, sculpture and other art forms with guidance from KAA’s art instructor, working on both individual and group projects. Their work doesn’t stay in the studio. It’s featured in KAA’s annual art show and local galleries.

Work & Job Readiness: Building Skills and Giving Back

Through Driving for Change, KAA’s community volunteer work program, participants give back by offering their time and talents to other nonprofits in Greater Cincinnati. In 2025, participants logged 1,164 volunteer hours.

For those ready to explore a career, KAA Explore offers real work experiences with local employers in small peer groups, along with instruction in workplace communication and etiquette. From there, KAA helps participants connect with inclusive employers and provides ongoing job coaching once they’re hired. Participants have gone on to work at places like LaRosa’s, Kroger, Skyline, the Cincinnati Zoo and Kings Island.

“KAA has helped me become more independent, taught me new skills, and helped me find a job that I can get paid. I like working with people and getting to know them.”

— Evan, KAA WORK participant

Community Integration: Friendship Beyond the 9-to-5

When the workday ends, our Community Evening Programs pick up where others leave off, giving participants regular time out in the community with friends. (During the day, participants in Adult Day Services can also choose Community Outings as their path.)

Through KAA Out & About, adults 18 and older can join a wide range of community activities in large and small groups, from Cincinnati Cyclones games and bowling with pizza to shopping at Kenwood Mall, laser tag followed by Skyline, and karaoke night at KAA.

KAA Night Out brings together small groups of adults who plan their own weekly activities and build friendships, from dinner and a movie to mini golf. Follow one group through a Thursday night out to see how it works. Demand keeps growing: in 2025, Night Out grew fourfold, from 8 to 32 participants per week.

Time together in the community also builds independence, one choice at a time. Chris has often said that “choices are hard.” Rather than making decisions for him, KAA staff kept giving him chances to choose in ways that felt manageable, starting small, like picking a song for the group. Those small choices built his confidence to try new things, including sushi.

“This is the first placement in a long while that Christopher is accepted just as he is. As a result, he has grown knowing he is okay just as he is.”

— Chris’s mother

Why It Matters

When programs start with what people love, participation can become something more.

A favorite song can lead to a band. An art project can lead to an exhibition. A volunteer shift can lead to new skills. A first job can build confidence and camaraderie with coworkers. And a Thursday night outing can become a group of friends who look forward to seeing one another every week.

At Ken Anderson Alliance, we believe every person, regardless of ability, is a valuable member and contributor to our community. Sometimes belonging starts with something as simple as discovering that someone else loves the same song, the same team or the same Thursday night tradition.

Find your place at KAA. Explore our Adult Day Services, Music Programs and KAA WORK Program, or contact John Marquart at jmarquart@kenandersonalliance.org about KAA Out & About and KAA Night Out.

References

1. Drexel University A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, The Services Cliff Among Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum
2. Emerson et al., “Disability and loneliness in the United Kingdom,” BMC Public Health (2023)
3. Stokes, Waldron and Stam, “Loneliness Among Adults Aging With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: The Importance of Living Situation,” The Gerontologist (2025)