Albany Museum of Art exceeds fundraising goal at Art Ball

ALBANY ─ What an anniversary celebration. At Art Ball 2024, supporters of the Albany Museum of Art came through for children and students in the community with $65,000 in donations for educational programming at the AMA.

The amount raised exceeded the museum’s ambitious goal of $60,000, which represented $1,000 for each year of its 60-year existence.

“We are humbled and we are grateful to our fabulous supporters at Art Ball for coming through in such a tremendous way for the children and teens in our community,” AMA Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf said. “Each of those dollars will go to our educational endeavors for toddlers, school children and college students.

“To accomplish this goal on the same date on which the Albany Museum of Art was founded 60 years ago makes it all the more special. It is gratifying to know that today’s leaders in our community see the true value of the work we do through the power of art with those who will lead the community into the future.”

The funds were raised during the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation Paddle Raise. During that portion of the evening, those attending Art Ball are asked to raise their auction paddles to make donations that go directly to the educational work at the museum.

“A donation of $15,000 from the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation had us a quarter of the way to our goal before Art Ball started, and the effort gained momentum from there,” AMA Director of Development Chloe Hinton said. “We cannot say enough about the generosity and marvelous support that we received. We knew that the goal was a bold one, but I truly believe our supporters are the best in the world, and the most community-minded. They want a better Albany and a better world, and they showed it once again by investing heavily in the children and students from all walks of life that we reach every day.”

The funds will be used for programs including free field trips for schools and children’s organizations, scholarships for art camps, and other educational activities headed up by AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem.

“It was an amazing outpouring of support for the kids,” Vanoteghem said. “Nothing is more satisfying than seeing children create art in our classroom that they are proud to show their parents when they get home. Our curriculum connects them to language, history, science, geography, and other subjects through art. They learn how to think critically and find new perspectives that help them learn how to deal with challenges that they will meet later in life. Art opens new worlds, and our generous supporters at Art Ball have opened those worlds to the children and students who engage with the Albany Museum of Art.”

Those who would like to donate to support the educational programs at the Albany Museum of Art may visit www.albanymuseum.com/support/annual-fund/ and click on the Wayne and Alicia Gregory Family Foundation Paddle Raise button.

Special Photo: Albany Museum of Art/Becky Bardin Photography