ATLANTA, GA, Sep. 28, 2018
Over the last three decades, the Atlanta-based National Black Arts Festival has persisted in its mission to advance the contributions of artists of African descent by showcasing Black artists from all over the country in Atlanta. In the process, it has become a staple in the art community for Black artists, who now have a platform to impress their art into the fabric of society.
Though the mission has always remained the same, the direction of the organization has certainly changed. One of the driving forces behind that change is CEO Vikki Morrow, whose vision is to work directly with artists to progress their careers, implement programs to foster new talent and reimage what the organization can do for Black artists.
Under Morrow’s guidance, the organization now focuses more on implementing year-round programming to uplift youth and emerging artists. “(Morrow) is doing an outstanding job of reconnecting the NBAF with the community through partnerships and collaborations,” said Lionell Thomas, director of the Fulton County Arts Council. “She is thoughtful and deliberate in her actions and is perfect for taking the NBAF to the next level.” This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF).
With 30 years under its belt, NBAF has existed as a non-profit that provides artistic and educational programming in dance, fashion, film, literature, music and visual arts. Founded in 1987 by Michael Lomaz, former Chair of the Fulton County Commission and President of the United Negro College Fund, the organization hosted its first biannual festival back in 1988.
