Postmark Center for the Arts is a rotating gallery space located in Auburn, Washington. The building was built in 1937 and served as Auburn's first post office but since has been converted into a hub for arts and culture. The main floor is dominated by a gallery and gathering space. The original post-office vault has been transformed into an inspiring and unique art installation space, The Vault Gallery. Exhibits rotate quarterly, and focus on providing art from a variety of backgrounds and interpretations.
Please visit our Visitor Information page for more.
Current Exhibition
Unprecedented: The Inaugural Postmark Biennial
July 23 - October 9, 2025
Photo: Entry Text
"In times of crisis, art becomes a vital medium for both reflection and action."- Virginia Vigliar
Spanning the last five years, forged in a world reshaped by a global pandemic, these artworks evince a time of shifting political, labor, and cultural landscapes.
Art at its core reminds us of an enduring human condition. The artists in this exhibition have internalized these past few years in deeply personal ways. While some spent time honing skills for a world they hoped would return, some mined history to underscore the present. Still others have adopted a changing aesthetic in response to a world that no longer looks quite the same. Engaged with environmental issues, human rights, and the care and healing of body and spirit, these Washington-based artists have done what artists have done throughout time: endured, continued to create, process, and share their exploration of inquiry, meaning, and beauty with their communities.
Together, these works reflect the creative pulse of Washington during an unprecedented moment in time.
Curated by Ellen Ito and Jabari Owens-Bailey, Unprecedented: The Inaugural Postmark Biennial presents work across the venues of the Postmark Center for the Arts and the White River Valley Museum.
Programming
Opening Reception
The opening reception for Unprecedented occurred July 23, 2025 in two locations. Postmark Center for the Arts held its reception from 5:00 - 6:15PM, with a curator talk by Jabari Owens Bailey at 5:30PM. Guests then moved to the White River Valley Museum at their 6:00 - 7:30PM reception, and there occurred a curator talk by Ellen Ito at 6:30PM. Artists, their families, and community members came to view the variety of artwork, sharing in lively discussions and enjoying the company of the curators.
Closing Reception
Postmark will host a closing reception for Unprecedented: The Inaugural Postmark Biennial on October 9, 2025, from 5:00 - 6:30 PM.
Upcoming Exhibition
Unfinished Business
October 23 - January 2026
Parallax Arts Collective is an inclusive organization of AANHPI (Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Island) artists and allies, representing diverse genders and artistic mediums. Its mission is to amplify the visibility of AANHPI artists and to advance their presence and impact within the broader arts landscape.
Unfinished Business presents a unique challenge to members of Parallax Arts Collective: to engage creatively with the incomplete. Every artist has unfinished works in their studio or a collection of raw materials—pieces whose potential remains unrealized. This project invites members to freely give unfinished art or materials to fellow artists, who in turn will respond by creating new artwork inspired by what they receive.
Participation in Unfinished Business requires a spirit of openness and collaboration. Artists must be willing to both give and accept materials freely, without reservation or expectation regarding their use. The emphasis is on trust, transformation, and the generative potential of creative exchange.
View Previous Exhibitions