Caught between past and future; Art Ball to turn empty Belk building into something surreal

ALBANY — Caught in a final suspended moment between past and future, the former Belk Department Store Building will serve as the location for Art Ball 2026: The Surreal, inviting guests into a cavernous, unfinished space and giving longtime supporters one last chance to revisit memories before the building’s transformation into a museum more than twice its current size.

On Saturday, the Albany Museum of Art will invite guests into a space that exists between identities: the former Belk building downtown, not yet transformed into the museum’s future home but no longer simply what it once was. 

That in-between is the point.

“This was an opportunity to give people a last look at the blank canvas before it turns into the new museum,” AMA Director of Marketing & Communications Jim Hendricks said.

The theme, “The Surreal,” reflects more than an artistic direction. It captures a moment in transition. Guests will step into a building that, for many locals, holds decades of memories, yet now stands largely empty, a space the Albany Museum of Art hopes will soon anchor its move downtown, a shift expected to more than double the museum’s current footprint.

For Hendricks, the transformation carries a personal resonance. He remembers the building as a place his parents once brought him as a child and later as a site connected to his early working years. 

Now, he said, seeing it reimagined as a cultural institution feels “pretty surreal.”

The concept of transition extends beyond the walls of the building. Art Ball has long been the museum’s signature event, but beneath this year’s formal atmosphere — from the catered dinner to live entertainment by Mind Plays and high-end auction offerings — the evening points to a broader vision taking shape. With plans to relocate downtown, the Albany Museum of Art is positioning itself for a more visible and accessible role in the community, expanding its cultural footprint beyond its current location. 

The event remains the museum’s primary annual fundraiser, directly supporting its operations and its efforts to grow public access.

“The support we get … helps us exist,” Hendricks said.

Those funds translate into tangible community impact. Proceeds from the Wayne & Alicia Gregory Family Foundation Paddle Raise support educational programming, including free school field trips and scholarships for seasonal art camps, opportunities that extend access to students and families who might not otherwise engage with the arts.

“I’ve never seen any negativity at all to exposing students to art,” Hendricks said, pointing to its role in strengthening critical thinking and broadening perspective. Research supports that view: Students with sustained access to the arts are up to three times more likely to earn a college degree than their peers without that exposure, underscoring the long-term impact of early engagement with creative disciplines.

The broader vision tied to the downtown move is equally pragmatic. Museum leaders see the relocation as a catalyst for increased foot traffic and economic activity, drawing visitors into the city center for exhibitions, programs and events and, in turn, supporting surrounding businesses.

“We’ll get more people downtown,” Hendricks said. “And hopefully that will mean other businesses get more traffic out of it as well.”

The energy — the surreal — of the transition aims to blur the line between reality and imagination, while auctions and giving opportunities invite attendees to invest directly in the museum’s next chapter, connecting stakeholders with something more tangible. 

A new addition this year, the “Portal to Paradise” raffle, sponsored by Albany Air Conditioning and Heating Company Inc., adds another layer, offering all supporters of the museum — whether attending the Art Ball or not — a chance to win curated travel experiences with each $100 contribution.

Winners will be announced during the event, widening the circle of participation and support.

For those who attend, Art Ball 2026 offers them a final look back, while simultaneously positioning them inside a moment of change, with a direct stake in what comes next as the space prepares to become the Albany Museum of Art’s future home.