Tertiary training in music and fine art began in 1967 with the opening of an Arts Department within the University of Kabul. By the time it became a fully-fledged Faculty of Arts in 1985 under the Soviet regime there were 60 to 70 students in the Music Department and another 60 to 70 students in the Painting Department.

The Soviets supported the Western Music courses, supplying the Music Department with instruments and materials. However, during the civil wars of the 1990s the second floor of the Faculty building was bombed and many books and musical instruments were damaged by shelling. The Taliban completed the destruction of the musical instruments.

Reconstruction commenced in 2001 and the first classes at the University of Kabul Faculty of Fine Arts were held in March 2002. Materials have since been donated to restart painting classes and the Goethe-Institut has brought in an artist to work with professors and students. A Ceramic Design course has also been written but at present there are no qualified teachers to teach it. Musical instruments have also been donated to both the Eastern and Western Music Departments but both are currently in need of books about music theory to function properly.