Barbara Hubbard

Passion. Experience. Diligence.

Complete with a twang from her hometown of Benton, Arkansas, Barbara Hubbard came to Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1954 and has left a legacy in the community and an impression on the entertainment industry throughout the globe.

Passion.

If you ever had the pleasure of meeting Barbara (or “Mother Hubbard”) you experienced a person who enjoys life. Because of this joy for living, Barbara’s passion has always centered on helping others enjoy their lives too.

She’s done this by freely sharing what she knows and doing everything in her power to help others. If she can’t help you, she will do what she can to find someone who can help you. Now in her mid-90s, this still holds true.

From Student Focus to Student Career Focus

In the late 1960’s a desire to help her students while serving in the athletic department at New Mexico State University’s Pan American Center, Barbara discovered booking live entertainment. This was a way to help her intern students work beyond basketball season to further develop their skills.

Who knew that out of that desire to help her students, Barbara would discover a passion for the entertainment industry that would last a lifetime?

First Barbara concentrated on her interns, providing opportunities to learn skills that prepares them for venue management and working behind the scenes supporting live entertainment.

ACTS for Students

Later, Barbara started the precursor to the ACTS program in 1978. The mission of American Collegiate Talent Showcase was, and still is,

To raise scholarships for performing arts college students on stage and behind the scenes. It is a search for college students to display their talents in the performing arts field.

For over four decades, Barbara and the ACTS program have sponsored live performances. The proceeds go towards ACTS scholarship funds. There are 15 endowed scholarships at New Mexico State in 2022.

These live shows are designed specifically to expose college students to national acts and to provide intern opportunities for students. Personally, Barbara continues to help students aspiring to become trained in the performing arts.

As a consultant, Barbara has also assisted New Mexico State University faculty with their Performing Arts and their Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management programs.

Experience.

With a master’s degree in education and biology, Barbara spent her early career in the Las Cruces, New Mexico Public Schools as a physical education teacher.

Director of Special Events at New Mexico State University

In 1966 she started working at New Mexico State University. Barbara became heavily involved in campus activities first as a program advisor at NMSU's 13,000-capacity Pan American Center, working with the sports association.

Barbara then became a student activities advisor in August 1970 and started bringing events to the building. The first act she brought in was the Ike and Tina Turner Revue; Charlie Pride was her first in-house production. 
In 1977, Barbara was named Director of Special Events. Barbara advised student government and organizations and negotiated and processed contracts between student organizations and booking agents and agencies. She also scheduled and approved the use of the Pan Am Center, administered and controlled the Pan Am building budget, and supervised all major campus productions, among other duties.

Barbara Hubbard enjoyed nearly a 30-year reign as special events director at New Mexico State University, until her "retirement" in 1996. 

Executive Director of ACTS

Today, she continues as executive director of the American Collegiate Talent Showcase (ACTS), a position she's held since 1978. Barbara oversees all aspects of the program. She organizes, produces, and markets the program; administers and controls the budget and fundraising; formulates recommendations for the program and recruitment of the Advisory Board, judges, guest stars, and seminar instructors.

With the scholarship money raised, Barbara is able to take her students to various industry conferences and help nurture their involvement and give them the experience and exposure they need.

She is a member of the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA), the International Association of Arena Managers (IAAM), Pollstar's Concert Industry Consortium (CIC), NMSU Alumni, Henderson State University Alumni, and the Aggie Booster Club. 

Diligence.

Barbara “Mother” Hubbard’s honors are many and serve as a testament to her due diligence to help others. Through the years, these honors include:

• Minority Affairs Award, National Minority Affairs Committee of the National Association of Campus Activities (1976)

• First Annual NMSU President's Award for Service (1982)

• Associated Students of NMSU Dedicated Service Award (1982-93)

• Performance Magazine's Readers Poll College Promoter of the Year (1981, 1983, 1985, 1987)

• Teacher of the Year, NMSU (1989)

• NMSU's Ralph B. Crouch award, (1996)

• Performance Magazine Touring Hall of Fame (1996)

• Honorary Sun Bowl Director, NMSU, Racial Harmony Award (1998)

• International Entertainment Business Association (IEBA) President's Award (2005)

• Event Pro named her a Living Legend, Presidential Citation from the International Association of Assembly Managers (2006)

• Venue Today Magazine's First Women of Influence Award (2007)

• International Entertainment Business Association (IEBA) Harry A. Peebles Award (2009)

• Billboard Magazine's International Touring Conference Golden Circle Award (2015)

• The New Mexico Hospitality Association State Tourism Hall of Fame Induction (2016)

• International Entertainment Business Association (IEBA) Career Award (2017)

• The Creative Arts Agency (CAA) The Hubb, a networking and professional development summit (2018, 2019)

For a glimpse of Barb’s early years, check out Linda Deckard’s article, Barbara Hubbard: The Early Years.

To read about some of the stories behind Barbara’s resume, catch this delightful 2018 feature in New Mexico Magazine by Russ Bradburd Meet The Legendary Mother Hubbard.