NBAF Celebrates 20 Years Of Fine Art + Fashion

The National Black Arts Festival is celebrating a major cultural milestone in ATL.

A press release reports that the organization will mark the 20th anniversary of its signature Fine Art + Fashion benefit on April 29 at the Atlanta History Center, honoring Lynn Whitfield, Jeremy Haynes, and Michi Meko for their lasting contributions to film, fashion, and visual art.

Emmy-winning icon, Whitfield, will receive the Cultural Icon Award, recognizing a career defined by show-stopping performances and cultural influence.

Haynes, also known as @NoIGJeremy, a Clark Atlanta University alum whose styling work has shaped the images of artists including Mary J. Blige, Usher, and Missy Elliott, will be honored with the Style Architect Award.

Meko, a multidisciplinary artist whose work examines the African American experience through themes of navigation, survival, and space, will receive the Radcliffe Bailey Excellence in Visual Arts Award.

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Presented in collaboration with Neiman Marcus and Greenberg Traurig, the milestone evening will feature a curated exhibition of student artwork from NBAF’s NextGen program, a seated dinner with premium beverages, live music, and a runway presentation showcasing a curated selection from Neiman Marcus.

NBAF adds that beyond celebrating established icons, the benefit will also spotlight the next generation of creatives. NBAF will award scholarships to winners of its 2026 Fashion Forward Student Design Competition and NextGen Visionary Artist Competition, providing young artists with financial support, professional exposure, and the opportunity to showcase their work during the event and in Neiman Marcus Atlanta.

The organization notes that proceeds from Fine Art + Fashion will support NBAF’s year-round programming, including arts education initiatives focused on underserved youth of African descent.