PREVIEW: Fusion 2026: A Weird & Whimsical World
10/16 @ Albany Barn
Photos by Alison Bachorik
“...an invitation to let go of expectations, show up as yourself, and celebrate the many ways creativity (and weirdness!) can connect us as a community.”
Come as you are comfortable — or as you want to be! Albany Barn’s Fusion opens its doors once more for its annual “Anti-Gala,” an inclusive evening of low-stress connections, art appreciation, and, of course, partying. This year’s Fusion theme is “A Weird & Whimsical World.”
No live auctions, no sit-down dinner, and no formal speeches. Instead, it’s a space to wander, explore, and find your own way. Enjoy refreshments from local vendors, dance to an audio performance by DJ: GeeXella or get absorbed into a story by storyteller and maker Druis Beasley. Guests come in ball gowns, paint clothes, work attire, and even in costumes. Executive Director McCauley Cannizzo encourages everyone to “show up and be you.”
Albany Barn presents more than 30 working creatives who have collaborated to bring small pockets of discovery throughout the Albany location. From open studios to pop-up installations, there is always something to catch your eye as you explore. Drawing close to 100 people at a time, the event gives artists and creatives a chance to interact with the public, share their work, and make meaningful connections.
Albany Barn Inc. is a nonprofit arts organization with a mission to develop the infrastructure necessary to sustain a vibrant and equitable creative economy in the communities it serves. Executive Director McCauley Cannizzo explains, “We know that by supporting creatives, it will support our community.” Fusion has been an ongoing tradition for more than 10 years.
With more than 200 artists enrolled in its membership, Albany Barn continues to grow into a vibrant creative community, celebrating artists and creatives from all backgrounds. This year’s Fusion highlights a wide range of creative practices, including media arts, painting, acting and audio production. It also celebrates the idea that you don’t have to identify as an “artist” to be creative. Maybe it’s the way you style yourself, the way you decorate your home, the way you express yourself, or simply the way you move through the world — creativity can exist in all of us and take countless forms.
This year, Fusion is all about embracing the creativity that resides inside each of us. It’s an invitation to let go of expectations, show up as yourself, and celebrate the many ways creativity (and weirdness!) can connect us as a community.
Additional Information:
Ticket Pricing
General Admission: $75
Working Creatives: $55 discounted ticket price
Catalyst Committee Tickets: $175 Catalyst Committee tickets include:
Admission to FUSION on Friday, October 16, 2026
Name recognition on the website and in the digital program
A special gift from our Art Apothecary at the event
For tickets, please visit https://albanybarn.org/fusion/. Ticket sales close at 12:00 p.m. on October 16, 2026. Tickets cannot be purchased at the door.
