Alicia B. Adams

Alicia B. Adams is the Vice President of International Programming and Dance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She joined the Kennedy Center in 1992.

Adams curated the Center’s major international festivals: IRELAND 100: Celebrating a Century of Irish Arts and Culture (2016), IBERIAN SUITE: Global Arts Remix (2015), Nordic Cool (20130, maximumINDIA (2011), ARABESQUE: Arts of the Arab World (2009), JAPAN! Culture + Hyperculture (2008), the Festival of China (2005), African Odyssey (1997-2000), AmericArtes (2000-2003) among others. Additionally, she curates the World Stages Series and Contemporary Dance series.

Adams has worked in the field of arts management for arts institutions including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Belafonte Enterprises, Inc., New York City Center Theatre, Harlem School of the Arts and International Production Associates (NYC).

She serves as a Trustee of the Williamstown Theater Festival, International Society for the Performing Arts(ISPA), Founding Council of the Caine Prize for African Writing (UK), Africa 95 (UK), and on the Advisory Council for Lab Think Tank, Global Performance and Politics Georgetown University. She is a member of the Conference Committee for Association of Performing Arts Presenters(APAP); Advisory Council, American Dance Abroad and Advisory Committee for Harlem School of the Arts. Adams has also served as a Trustee of the All Roads Film Festival, National Geographic and; as a panelist for National Dance Panel, and Center Stage, New England Foundation on the Arts(NEFA). In 2017 she co-hosted the ISPA Congress(NYC) and curated the American Dance Platform, the Joyce Theater(NYC).

Adams has an MA from Columbia University, a BS from New York University and a Certificate in Arts Administration from Harvard University’s School of Business Administration. Adams was the APAP recipient of the Fan Taylor Award in 2012. In 2014, she was decorated by Sweden with the Royal Order of The Polar Star and by Finland with Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion.