During our placement with Access Gallery, a large portion of our work was focused on assisting with the preparation, production, and conclusion of XXV: Access Gallery Annual Auction Fundraiser. The auction held particular significance this year as it marked Access’ 25th birthday. In addition to the 60+ works donated by emerging artists, a highlight of XXV was “Message in a Bottle,” a collection of 25 glass bottles containing a contribution from a variety of artists, writers, and thinkers. They considered the question: “With only the slightest of space in which to communicate, what is the message you’d most want to send?” Each bottle contained a unique, interpretive response to this question, the identity of the creator only to be revealed upon breaking the seal of the bottle. This special feature of XXV alluded to Access’ Twenty-Three Days at Sea residency program, playing on the notion of bodies of water and ideas navigating through them. For our creative response, we created a “message in a bottle” of our own that pays tribute to our time with Access and also to the auction specifically. The bottle contains a miniature version of party tassels (decorations) that we made in a larger scale for the auction night. XXV was significant to us because it gave us first-hand insight into the work and dedication that goes into such an event. Beyond our involvement, simply being at the auction and witnessing the community that gathered to support Access, Vancouver’s artistic community, and artist-run culture was inspiring and meaningful.