The Heart of Albany Festival, presented by Publix, is the Albany Museum of Art’s annual gift to the community. The 7th fall festival, formerly ChalkFest, celebrated art and community on Nov, 16, 2024, a beautiful fall Saturday. Admission was free for everyone.

Ten professional chalk artists created 50-square-foot and larger works of art on the pavement as festival-goers enjoyed live music, art demonstrations, food, and libations on the grounds of the Albany Museum of Art, 311 Meadowlark Drive, in Albany, GA.

This year’s winning professional chalk artist is Lata Mary Fields of Hogansville, Ga.

Amateur chalk art winners were Monroe High School, first place; Westover High school, second place, and Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, third place.

Thirteen high school students were recognized in the inaugural Southwest Georgia Student Art Exhibition, which was open to area middle and high school students. Festival-goers selected selected the People’s Choice winner. The winning artists can be found HERE.

The Albany Museum of Art tahnks our generous sponsors of the 2024 festival:

• Presenting sponsor Publix;
• Presenting sponsor the James M. Barnett, Jr. Foundation;
• AMA Activities sponsor Vine Vision;
• School Art Blocks sponsor Phoebe;
• Community Art Blocks Sponsor WebstaurantStore;
• T-shirt sponsor Smile Doctors;
• T-shirt and Volunteers sponsor Adams Exterminators;
• Professional Chalk Artist sponsor BMW of Albany;
• Professional Chalk Artist sponsor Albany Motorcars Mercedes-Benz;
• Professional Chalk Artist sponsor JLA;
• Professional Chalk Artist sponsor Edward Jones;
• Professional Chalk Artist sponsor Fleming and Riles Insurance Auto-Owners Insurance;
• Professional Chalk Artist sponsor Brad Lanier Oil Company.

In-kind partners were 4imprint; AAA Concrete Products and Materials; Southwest Georgia Living Magazine, and Eddie’s Signs.

The Heart of Albany Festival will return in November 2025. Businesses and individuals who are interested in being a sponsor of the festival may contact Chloe Hinton HERE.