Congresswoman Alma Adams Introduces the HBCU Arts Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 6, 2023) – Today, Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12), introduced the HBCU Arts Act, highlighting the importance of access to the arts and the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in producing African American artists within the United States. The HBCU Arts Act will increase investment in HBCU arts education, ensuring students of color access to affordable arts and culture programs designed to increase the conservation, study, and display of works by Black artists.  

“The arts are a universal language that speaks to people everywhere and helps them to understand some of the most complicated of issues. The arts contribute to the economic vitality of all communities and provide the creative discourse we need to survive.” said Congresswoman Adams, who was an HBCU Arts professor for over 40 years and founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus.

Specifically, the HBCU Arts Act:

• Provides financial and other assistance to students, in arts, arts education, and cultural programs.
• Establishes outreach programs and development offices for art, arts education, and cultural arts departments.
• Provides comprehensive wraparound services for arts, arts education, and cultural students, including faculty and peer mentorship, work-based learning opportunities, guidance counseling, and career advising.
• Exhibits, maintains, monitors, and protects Black art collections in exhibition and in storage.
• Provides well-paid apprenticeship, internship, and fellowship opportunities to students in arts, arts education, and cultural programs through partnerships with nonprofit arts, arts education, and cultural institutes. 

Some organizations including NAfME, Feierabend Association for Music Education, and Americans for the Arts and the National Guild for Community Arts Education are excited to support the bill: 

“NAfME is proud to endorse the HBCU Arts Education Act, introduced by Congresswoman Alma Adams. This legislation recognizes the historic underfunding faced by HBCU arts programs, and how this has contributed to the underrepresentation of historically marginalized artists in the United States. To increase the representation of historically marginalized artists, this legislation would provide funding to strengthen the quality and availability of music and arts programs at HBCUs. Music and the arts provide a gateway into other cultures and act as a catalyst for sharing the human experience, which as we know, varies greatly. This is why it’s so important to have artists representing a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.  The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is committed to expanding access to a comprehensive music and arts education for all students and we urge the 118th congress to consider and pass this legislation.” said Scott R. Sheehan, NAfME President. 

The Feierabend Association for Music Education (FAME) believes music is for everyone. Building community through music and the arts means creating spaces for all to be seen and heard. We urge Congress to equitably fund and further amplify the significant contributions of HBCU arts programs and initiatives to forge future generations of arts leaders and educators for stronger vibrant communities said Emily Maurek, Executive Director of the Feierabend Association for Music Education. “We are very pleased that Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12) has introduced legislation that provides funding to our country’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ (HBCU) arts, arts education, and cultural programs.”

“As an HBCU arts program alumni, I have witnessed firsthand the enduring legacy and talent within our institutions. HBCUs persistently nurture and cultivate the brilliance of Black artists, educators, and cultural experts, while simultaneously offering invaluable education to students from all over the globe. Historically Black Colleges and Universities serve as a critical conduit, fostering a more inclusive, equitable, and just arts industry. As an HBCU graduate, I understand how this legislation underscores the significance of investing in the next generation of artists, creatives, educators, and more, ensuring that their talents and potential can flourish in a system that was built against them,” emphasizes Quanice G. Floyd, Executive Director of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.

Historically, HBCUs have been underfunded, although they serve as an epicenter for producing a diverse generation of art professionals and have historically served as long-standing conservators and producers of Black art and for teaching, supporting, and displaying essential Black artists that may otherwise have remained unrecognized. This action moves the needle forward in creating a more diverse and inclusive arts industry by fostering the next generation of Black artists. It also creates an opportunity to diversify the arts educator pipeline to better align with today’s student population and creates a culturally responsive teacher environment, says Nolen Bivens, President, and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “ We are deeply grateful to Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12) for supporting and recognizing the value of our country’s HBCUs arts programs by introducing this legislation.”

Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County). She is a senior member of the House Committee on Education & the Workforce and the House Committee on Agriculture. In 2015, she founded the first bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus in Congress. She is a double graduate of North Carolina A&T, the largest HBCU by enrollment in the United States.

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