The 9th annual Heart of Albany Festival will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The Albany Museum of Art is partnering with the City of Albany and the city’s Recreation and Parks Department to bring this year’s fall art festival to Tift Park!

Your support makes this free annual celebration with unique art, lively entertainment, and fun activities for the community possible. You can help HERE.

Professional chalk artists can submit their proposals for the 2026 competition (deadline: October 15) HERE.

Demonstrating artists, selling artists, vendors, and food truck operators can register HERE.

Students can bring their artwork for the 3rd annual Student Art Exhibition and Contest to the AMA from October 13 to October 27. The submission form can be found HERE.

Businesses and individuals who are interested in being a sponsor of the November 2026 festival can contact [email protected].

Want to volunteer at the festival? Visit HERE.

2026 SPONSORS

AMAzing Activities Sponsor: Vine Vision

Kids Art Blocks Sponsor: Smile Doctors

T-Shirt Sponsor: Adams Exterminators 

Professional Artist Sponsors: Fleming & Riles Insurance, Phoebe, U-Save-It, Albany Area Primary Health Care, WebstaurantStore, WALB-TV, Blick Art Supplies.

Helper Sponsor: InVision Technologies, Albany Beverage Co., Eddie’s Signs, Bishop Clean Care.

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2025 WINNERS

At the 8th annual Heart of Albany Festival in 2025, the Best of Show winner for professional chalk artists was Shannon Brooke of Tennessee, whose chicken shredding on a skateboard best captured the extreme sports theme of this year’s competition.

She was one of seven professional chalk artists who created 50-square-foot and larger works of art on the pavement as festival-goers enjoyed live music, including the Albany debut of Pylon Reenactment Society, art demonstrations, food, and libations on the grounds of the Albany Museum of Art, 311 Meadowlark Drive, in Albany, GA.

The list of winning artists in the 2nd annual student art exhibition for Southwest Georgia middle and high school can be seen HERE.