Northwest Art Center is hosting its first benefit auction since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The auction on April 26 is a return of a tradition started in 2014. Each year until 2020, members and supporters of the arts nonprofit donned steampunk-themed attire for the event.

“We had to, during the pandemic, kind of really restructure our entire program,” said Michelle Marshall, a Northwest Art Center staff member. “And it’s just been in the last year that we’ve felt like we’ve had the capacity and the number of volunteers needed to put this event on again.”

This year, the event and its steampunk theme will return to the Redmond Ridge Community and Event Center. The evening will include a catered dinner, beverages, live and silent auctions and an entertaining program.

The steampunk theme, which combines Victorian-era aesthetics with futuristic, steam-powered machinery, came from Lloyd McCracken, current president of the nonprofit’s board of directors, who Marshall says has a love of gadgetry.

Originally, the theme was a way to draw people in, but it quickly became a tradition. The theme influences not just the attire, but the decor and some of the auction items as well, Marshall said.

Northwest Art Center makes an effort to put on a fun event, Marshall said. It’s the nonprofit’s only large fundraiser, and a good turnout is important.

The 2019 benefit was the most successful one to date, and “our dream would be to be at that level,” Marshall said. This year’s goal, she said, is to net $45,000 from the benefit, which has a capacity of 120 attendees.

In the years immediately following the pandemic, Northwest Art Center relied heavily on grants, Marshall said, but that funding is dwindling. As more people are starting to sign up for classes, she said it’s time for the nonprofit to get back into the pre-pandemic swing of things.

The Northwest Art Center has been a Duvall nonprofit since 2008. It provides both youth and adult classes, as well as community events throughout the year.

Marshall also said the center is always looking for more volunteers in all capacities, not just for art classes.

“We are there for students of all abilities, all walks of life, adults and kids,” she said. “We hope that people will come check out what we offer.”

Check it out

Event tickets are $95 and can be purchased through auctria.events/NWACAuction2025. Steampunk attire is encouraged, but not required. There will also be an online auction for which no tickets are required.