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You are here: Home / Blog Post / Venetian masks used as decor for a fundraising auction theme
Nov 27

Venetian masks used as decor for a fundraising auction theme

Sherry Truhlar 2 Comments

fundraising auction theme - Venetian mask

Students made the masks for a school auction.

Venice is a popular fundraising auction theme.

The imagery of the city is perhaps most closely associated with its famous canals, followed by its infamous Carnival. But as canals are difficult to recreate in a school gym, most groups opt for the Carnival masks. 

Venetian masks are festive elements to use, easily portable, and come in a range of price points that fit most any budget.

At a school auction, both hand-crafted and purchased masks were used. They were placed on the silent auction tables and used as centerpieces.

fundraising auction theme - Venetian mask

At a nonprofit auction, the masks greeted guests on the stairwell as guests entered the silent auction.

At a nonprofit auction, the venue was the Ritz-Carlton.  The elaborate masks matched the more upscale location.  Like at the school, the nonprofit opted to use the masks in several ways. They served as a decor element throughout the venue and were incorporated into the centerpieces.

If the masks look nice, sell them to recoup your costs.  They sell well onsite.

It’s a fairly low-effort auction theme.  And if your guests are the type to dress the part, they’ll appreciate the masks as an added feature to their already elaborate costumes.

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Copyright © 2009 Red Apple Auctions Co. All Rights Reserved

About Sherry Truhlar

Fundraising auctioneer and educator, helping schools and nonprofits plan more profitable benefit auctions. A prolific writer for her own blog and other fundraising sites, she’s been covered in The Beacon-News, Town & Country Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Wiley's Special Events Galore!, AUCTIONEER, and other publications.

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Comments

  1. Simple Fundraising Ideas says

    December 28, 2009 at 6:19 PM

    An inspiring idea to use students to create these fabulous marks as table centrepieces. I’m sure that it made the evening far more enjoyable and memorable for the guests.

    Reply
  2. non for profit marketing says

    December 20, 2009 at 12:09 AM

    This is a great fundraising ideas for non profits i never thought of doing auctions, especially for art.

    The masks are very beautiful!

    Reply

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Sherry, oh, Sherry! You were an invaluable asset to this year’s gala. With your assistance we were able to add so many new elements that truly made a difference in taking our event to another level. This year was the most successful yet! Everyone loved you and the amazing energy that you brought to the event. We look forward to having you again in 2018!

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Thank you so much for the outstanding job you did for us on April 1! I have received so much positive feedback from so many who attended. You even earned Sister Suzan’s (our Vice-Principal) seal of approval! Safe travels to all your many events and thank you for making our biggest fundraiser of the year our best ever!

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I was very fortunate to have Red Apple on board for my first auction. Working with Sherry was invaluable. She provided guidance at every phase of planning, from procurement on forward – and she challenged us to make our event more ambitious and more successful at every stage. Thank you, Sherry!

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Oak Hill School (Eugene, OR)

If your auction needs to upgrade, call any auctioneer you find on Google. But if you want your auction to be impressive, meaningful, and profitable, you need to call Sherry.

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