The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has announced that its annual BMA Ball and After Party will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025. The event is a major fundraiser for the museum, with last year’s gathering attracting over 600 guests and raising $1 million to support exhibitions, education programs, and community partnerships.
This year’s event will feature the presentation of the Artist Who Inspires Awards to Wangechi Mutu and Amy Sherald. The Changemaker Who Inspires Award will be given to The Sherman Family Foundation in honor of the late George Sherman. According to the BMA, these honorees have made significant contributions in their fields. Mutu and Sherald are recognized internationally for their work in contemporary art, while The Sherman Family Foundation has had a longstanding impact on early childhood development, education, and the arts in Baltimore City and Maryland.
James D. Thornton, Chair of the BMA Board of Trustees, and Asma Naeem, Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director at the BMA, stated: “The BMA Ball has become one of the most anticipated events of the year. The museum’s program to honor artists, advocates, and philanthropists with local and global ties has galvanized our supporters—from the record-breaking fundraising last year to the incredible outpouring we’ve already received this year. As the largest art museum in the state, and an important voice in the national contemporary art scene, we are celebrating the groundbreaking achievements of our honorees, as well as the unique ways art and art education at the BMA empower our communities.”
The evening begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by an awards program. Dinner is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., after which guests can attend an After Party starting at 9 p.m., featuring music, dancing, food, and drinks. Attendees will also have access to “Amy Sherald: American Sublime,” a mid-career retrospective on view from November 2, 2025 through April 5, 2026.
Honorary co-chairs for this year’s ball include Maryland Governor Wes Moore and First Lady Dawn Moore. The committee is led by BMA Trustee George Petrocheilos along with Diamantis Xylas and Michael Arougheti. Other members include board leaders such as Elizabeth Hurwitz (Vice President), Derrick Adams (Trustee), Kwame Webb (Trustee), Amanda Kimbers Mfume (Trustee), Divesh Gupta (Trustee), Richard Bennett (Trustee), Andy Frake; After Party co-chairs are Darius Graham (Trustee) and Amanda Kimbers Mfume.
Lead sponsors for this year’s event include Michael Arougheti; Henry and Marie-Josée Kravis; Patricia and Mark Joseph – The Shelter Foundation; Heather and Bill Miller; George Petrocheilos and Diamantis Xylas; George Roche and Susan Flanigan; David Rubenstein; Whiting-Turner; The Hackerman Foundation; Robert E. Meyerhoff & Rheda Becker; The Sherman Family Foundation; Michele Speaks & David Warnock.
Founded in 1914, the Baltimore Museum of Art houses more than 97,000 objects from various eras and cultures. It features collections such as works by Henri Matisse—the largest public holding globally—as well as notable prints, drawings, photographs collections, modern sculpture gardens designed by John Russell Pope near Johns Hopkins University campus. Admission remains free for all visitors.
