I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8943 
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to 
support arts education at minority-serving institutions of higher education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 8, 2024 
Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE
(for herself, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, and Ms. BONAMICI) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant 
program to support arts education at minority-serving 
institutions of higher education. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Equitable Arts Edu-
cation Enhancement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to a 2021 study by Americans for 
the Arts, the arts are an invaluable aspect of Amer-
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ican society, as they strengthen the economy, im-
prove healthcare, spark creativity and innovation, 
and unify communities, with 73 percent of partici-
pants agreeing that the arts help them to better un-
derstand other cultures. 
(2) The American Alliance of Museums found 
that ‘‘93 percent of museum directors are white, as 
are 92.6 percent of board chairs and 89.3 percent of 
board members’’, reflecting a clear lack of diversity 
in the leadership of museums. 
(3) Minority-serving institutions, or ‘‘MSIs’’, 
are uniquely positioned to produce a diverse genera-
tion of art professionals and help bring much needed 
attention to works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, 
People of Color) artists. MSIs have historically 
served as long-standing conservators and crucial 
supporters of artist from diverse backgrounds. At a 
time when diversity, equity, and inclusion are being 
targeted, the teaching, supporting, and displaying of 
essential Minority artists who may otherwise have 
remained unrecognized must be prioritized. 
(4) Arts programs and arts departments are ex-
pensive and have often fallen victim to funding 
shortfalls. In 2018, the College Art Association re-
ported that at least 18 institutions of higher edu-
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cation planned to severely curtail or eliminate their 
arts departments. 
(5) An increased investment in MSI arts, arts 
education, and culture programs can further help 
Black, Indigenous, students of color access an af-
fordable arts education and ensure the continued 
preparation, conservation, display, and study of 
works by Minority artists. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education (re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry 
out a program under which the Secretary makes grants 
to minority-serving institutions, on a competitive basis, to 
support arts education at such institutions. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a minority-serving institution shall sub-
mit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require. 
(c) USES OF FUNDS.—A minority-serving institution 
that receives a grant under this section shall use such 
grant to support increased racial minority access to arts 
education at the institution, which may include— 
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(1) providing financial and other assistance to 
students in arts, arts education, and cultural pro-
grams; 
(2) establishing outreach programs and develop-
ment offices for arts, arts education, and cultural 
departments; 
(3) providing comprehensive wraparound serv-
ices for arts, arts education, and cultural students, 
including faculty and peer mentorship, work-based 
learning opportunities, guidance counseling, and ca-
reer advising; 
(4) presenting and exhibiting art and perform-
ances produced by minority-serving institutions, and 
maintaining, monitoring, and protecting minority art 
collections in exhibition and in storage; 
(5) providing well-paid apprenticeship, intern-
ship, and fellowship opportunities to students in 
arts, arts education, and cultural programs through 
partnerships with nonprofit arts, arts education, and 
cultural institutes; 
(6) offering stipends to students in arts edu-
cation preparation programs to enable such students 
to participate in clinical experiences; 
(7) developing mentoring programs for future 
arts educators; 
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(8) providing training and stipends for mentor 
teachers; and 
(9) paying for future arts educators and mentor 
teachers to participate in professional learning op-
portunities offered by nonprofit arts education orga-
nizations. 
(d) CONSIDERATIONS.—In determining the appro-
priate uses of funds under subsection (c), a minority-serv-
ing institution shall give special consideration to uses of 
funds that directly benefit minority students. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘arts’’ means art forms used for 
self-expression and interpretation, including dance, 
music, theater, literary, visual, graphic, media arts, 
plastic, and decorative arts. 
(2) The term ‘‘minority’’ means an individual 
from an underrepresented racial minority. 
(3) The term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ 
means an institution specified in section 371(a) of 
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the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1067q(a)). 
Æ 
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