The Concealed Revealed Legacy
After more than two decades, we’re celebrating the legacy of an event that has brought our community together to provide crucial support for the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment. The original purpose and vision remain a testament to the impact of this event!
Why Concealed Revealed?
In 2004, several Washburn University, CSE interns and staff decided to plan an art auction for a class project. Their goal was to raise unrestricted, flexible funds to support the work that CSE Advocates were doing.
In the first year, they raised about $1,000. It was all profit because they put on the event with a budget of $0!
In 2024, the Concealed Revealed Art Auction raised over $55,000.
Join us on April 5, 2025, to carry on the legacy!
Pictured: A blast from the past with some of the inaugural planning committee members! From left to right are Laura Burton, Michelle McCormick, Nikki MacMillan, and Sara O’Keeffe. This core group continues to attend and support Concealed Revealed.
“Reveal it through art.”
In the spring semester of 2004, Dr. Sharon Sullivan gave her Special Topics class an assignment. Several of them were already interning or volunteering at the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment. They decided to hold an art auction to support survivors!
Where did the name come from? One of the conversations the students were having revolved around the issue that topics like sexual assault, domestic violence, and trafficking were considered “taboo.” These were not conversations typically had out in the community setting. Survivors and their experiences were hidden from the public eye. And so, the students decided to reveal them through art! They approached local artists and requested donations of art specifically centering women, survivors, and related topics.
On a budget of $0, and completely on their own (with the supervision of Dr. Sullivan), the students and CSE interns planned the first Concealed Revealed Art Auction. They raised about $1,000 and built a community of artists, advocates, and community members who shared their vision.
“It was at Popeye’s Gym, which had closed down, and the gals worked so hard to make it not look like a gym! We were able to pull some curtains from the theatre department, these giant gold curtains to cover the mirrors! They did an amazing job.”
How does it work? The event concept hasn’t changed much over the years. Artists from all over the community - and now all over the country! - donate original artwork to YWCA. Then, we host a fundraiser in April featuring a silent auction and a live auction. Attendees enjoy good food, community, and impactful stories and award presentations in addition to the auction. All proceeds from the artwork directly benefit the Center for Safety and Empowerment!
Ignore Limitations
After a successful first - and second - year, YWCA Northeast Kansas, recognizing the event’s long-term value, decided to take it on as an annual fundraiser with an official planning committee. In a recent reunion, the inaugural planning committee shared a motto that gave them the courage to build Concealed Revealed: “Ignore Limitations.” CSE Advocates and interns knew that there were limits on what they could do to serve clients with existing grant funds. The money raised from Concealed Revealed helped them bust through that hurdle and imagine a way to support survivors beyond the funding barriers!
There weren’t many events like this at the time, and donating artists felt authentically connected by the premise of being included in the auction itself, receiving complimentary tickets and being centered as the heart behind the event’s success. To this day, Concealed Revealed continues to work closely with artists to honor their generosity and include them in the event. Many of them have been donating each year since the beginning! Another piece that remains: Survivor voices. From the survivor artwork to survivor speakers, this event does not shy away from its mission to center survivors!!
Survivor Art Group
While Concealed Revealed was growing roots in the community, interns and volunteers were building a healing art group within CSE. At first, they held arts & crafts activities at shelter. As survivors exited shelter, they expressed interest in remaining part of the art group. YWCA moved the art group to the main office, and survivors continued creating together as an integral part of their healing journeys! Visiting artists contributed their talents. Over the years, some of the group art was donated to the auction as a way for survivors to give back to CSE.