Honoree Stephanie Hughley

(back to event home page)

Stephanie S. Hughley was appointed the Executive Producer of the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) in July 1999.  Ms Hughley is responsible for creating and developing the unique artistic vision of the Festival.  She reports directly to the NBAF Board of Directors as Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for the development and the sustainability of the organization.  Ms. Hughley returned to Atlanta from Newark, New Jersey where she held the position of Vice President of Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).  She joined the Senior Management Team of the NJPAC in September of 1995 as the organization's first programming executive.  

During the years 1987 through 1992, Ms. Hughley was the founding Artistic Director of the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) in Atlanta.  During that period, she conceptualized and implemented the artistic content for each festival, which included over 100 events spread across eight artistic disciplines.  Ms. Hughley helped to conceive, develop and implement the groundbreaking Africa Exchange Program, an innovative cross-cultural six-year initiative funded by the Ford Foundation's Internationalizing New Work in the Performing Arts program.  

She has received numerous awards; just to name a few she was recognized as Woman of the Year in the 2007 July/August Issue Atlanta Woman Magazine; recognition by the Atlanta Business League as one of Atlanta's Top 100 Black Women of Influence; Africa World - Africa Heritage Achievement Award; Arts Professional of the Year Award presented by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; and the Home Depot Foundation “Building Community Award”   

This year, 2008, she received the William Dawson Award from Association of Arts Presenters for Programmatic Excellence for sustained achievement in programming. She also received a Resolution from the Georgia State Senate for her numerous accomplishments and contributions to her community and the State of Georgia.  The Houston International Festival (iFEST) presented her with an award for Artistic Excellence for 2008.

She currently serves on the Board of the Metro Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition (MAACC) and the Atlanta Convention Visitors Bureau (ACVB).  She is a member of the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, and acts as a consultant to a number of performing arts and cultural institutions including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, she is on the Essence Cares Steering Committee.  

Ms. Hughley is a graduate of Kent State University (B.S.) and Antioch College (M.Ed.), at Harvard University.

The Georgia Arts & Entertainment Legacy Awards
are brought to you by the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts