The New Liberal Arts framework represents a significant reform in Chinese higher education, emphasizing integration of technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cultural preservation. As this educational paradigm evolves, art teachers face unprecedented challenges requiring new competencies. This research aimed to: 1) investigate components of competence for university art teachers under the New Liberal Arts background; 2) explore the existent and desired states of these competencies in Ningxia; and 3) create a program to enhance these competencies. The study employed a three-phase methodology: first identifying competence components through document analysis and expert validation (n = 5); then exploring competence states through questionnaires with 205 art teachers selected via multi-stage random sampling; finally developing and evaluating a competence enhancement program. Results identified five key competence components: Knowledge Literacy, Didactic Ability, Digital Literacy, Uphold Fundamental Principles and Break New Ground, and Moral Education Ability. The existent state of competence was at medium level, while the desired state was at highest level. Digital Literacy emerged as the highest priority need. The developed program, utilizing a 70:20:10 learning model, received highest ratings for both suitability and feasibility, confirming its potential effectiveness for enhancing art teacher competence under the New Liberal Arts framework.