“To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to support arts education at minority-serving institutions of higher education.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states congressional findings that (1) the arts strengthen the economy, improve healthcare, spark creativity and innovation, and unify communities, with 73% of participants in a 2021 Americans for the Arts study agreeing that the arts help understand other cultures; (2) 93% of museum directors, 92.6% of board chairs, and 89.3% of board members are white, per the American Alliance of Museums; (3) minority-serving institutions (MSIs) produce diverse art professionals, support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists, and merit prioritization amid challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; (4) arts programs face funding shortfalls, with at least 18 institutions of higher education planning to curtail or eliminate arts departments in 2018; and (5) increased investment in MSI arts, arts education, and culture programs enhances access for Black, Indigenous, and students of color while ensuring preparation, conservation, display, and study of minority artists' works.
This section directs the Secretary of Education to carry out a competitive grant program awarding funds to minority-serving institutions (i.e., institutions of higher education serving predominantly minority populations, such as historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions) to support arts education and increase racial minority access thereto. Grant funds may be used for activities such as student financial assistance; outreach and development offices; wraparound services including mentorship and career advising; art exhibitions and collections maintenance; paid apprenticeships, internships, and fellowships; stipends for clinical experiences and professional learning; and mentoring programs for future arts educators. Such sums as necessary are authorized to carry out the program.
This section defines, for purposes of this Act, three terms: (1) "arts" as art forms used for self-expression and interpretation, including dance, music, theater, literary arts, visual arts, graphic arts, media arts, plastic arts, and decorative arts; (2) "minority" as an individual from an underrepresented racial minority; and (3) "minority-serving institution" as an institution specified in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)) (i.e., historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges or Universities, Alaska Native-serving or Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, or Native American-serving nontribal institutions).