During the 1930s an art college was opened in Kabul by famous artist Ghulam Muhammad Musawwer Maimanagi to teach painting, carpet weaving and other crafts. The work of this institution laid the groundwork for the establishment in 1955 of the Fine Arts College under the directorship of Abdul Ghafur Breshna (1907-1974), a famous musician, painter and playwright and the composer of the Afghan National Anthem. The Fine Arts College was later renamed the Afghan Traditional Arts Training School - Ghulam Mohammad Maimanagi in honour of Ghulam Mohammad Maimanagi's efforts to promote arts and culture. It expanded its curriculum and encouraged foreign teachers (notably Germans) to teach western art forms.