THE MINISTRY OF STEAMPUNK
Welcome to the Ministry of Steampunk (MoS) website.
If you are new to the site, start here or if you are a regular visitor, check out the noticeboard below for the latest information.
NOTICEBOARD
Steam Trains and Fairytales
Tickets are now available from the Midland Railway Trust at Butterley Station for the Steam Trains and Fairytales event over the weekend of 17-18 May 2025.
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​Follow the links to find out more about the event, to purchase tickets, to download the train timetable for the weekend or to download the timetables of steampunk features planned for Saturday and Sunday.
Asylum Evening event update (13 May 2025)
Tickets to Time Travellers on Sunday evening are now SOLD OUT.
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There are still a handful tickets left for the Advance Guard and Dead Dog Party. Remember you need a wristband to attend either of these events.
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There are still tickets to all of the other evening events available, but sales have been substantially faster than in any other post-pandemic year and we expect the majority to sell out.
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We hope to announce the daytime features involving SPG and Abney Park within the next 2-3 weeks.
Weekend at the Asylum XV (AXV)
​​​If you live local to Lincoln and are interested in finding out more about the Steampunk event taking place in Lincoln in August we have a special page for you here.
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If you are primarily here because you are a Steam Powered Giraffe fan, there is a special page for you here.
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Whatever brought you to this website, we hope you find it interesting and we look forward to seeing you at Weekend at the Asylum in August!
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For steampunks familiar with the website there are some useful links below.
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Quick Asylum XV links
The buttons below will take you direct to the website page where you can buy wristbands, or the page where you can pre-order merchandise, or the page of this website where you can find out more about Asylum XV (AXV).
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Please note that the wristband and merchandise sales are separate this year. If you wish to buy wristbands and to pre-order merchandise you will need to make two separate purchases.
Asylum headlines including evening events
Weekend wristbands are now on sale.
Limited run collectables are now on sale.
Accommodation at BGU and Lincoln University is now on sale.
Pitches at the camp site at IBCC are now on sale
​Tickets to the evening events, including Abney Park & Steam Powered Giraffe are currently on sale.
​Wristbands give access to the daytime content of the Steampunk Convention. This is the heart of the Asylum, why it exists and how it exists. Wristband holders “are” the Asylum. You can find out more about wristbands on the AXV wristband page.
To attend any of the evening shows or catered daytime features (such as tea parties) you will need individual tickets. These will be released towards the end of March. We spread the release to give us a little more time to fix everything but also importantly to help people with their budgets/spending. In order to prioritise the convention attendees, they will get a few days earlier access to the tickets.
We have a fixed capacity of wristbands. We tend to sell out. The sale of a single day band means we can’t offer someone a weekend wristband. Generally this works out OK but Saturday is particularly popular and thus we have to turn weekenders away. You will understand then that we will be waiting until the end of April to offer day wristbands. You will find the prices for single day wristbands on the AXV wristband page.
SPG and Abney Park will be attending all four days of the convention. Abney Park will be playing at the Engine Shed on Friday night and SPG will be playing the same venue on Sunday night. There will be daytime features with them too, for example on Saturday daytime there will be “audience with” features with both bands. Because the daytime features will be part of the Steampunk Convention, you will need an AXV wristband to attend them.
People who want to come to Lincoln over the festival weekend just to hang out, socialise and maybe attend a show or two are very welcome. There will be lots for you to see with specialist markets, street entertainments and other features. You will however understand that priority will always be given to convention attendees who are also there for the exhibitions, talks, workshops, entertainments, gatherings and other features. That is Weekend at the Asylum.
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There are already a number of pages about AXV on this website, including a dedicated AXV Home Page and an FAQ page. Please do read through them as they may well contain answwers to any questions you have. More pages will be added over the coming weeks and months. If you are not already a member of our Facebook group Welcome to the Asylum now would probably be a good time to join, but please don't forget to answer the 'membership' questions when you do.
AXV Grand Promenade Grants
Would you like to receive a grant of up to £500 to help you make a 'wow' piece of steampunk art for the grand promenade on Monday at AXV? If so, check out the application form here.
Asylum FAQ
A new page has been addded to the Asylum drop-down menu. We hope this will provide answers to many of the questions people ask about Weekend at the Asylum. You can go direct to the FAQ page from here.
Website news
The current MoS Website was created in September 2022 between Asylum XIII and the first Steampunk Halloween event. It was set up to provide information about the events run by the Ministry of Steampunk and as a means for volunteers, performers and others to get in touch with us.
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Until now we have used the first drop-down menu for whichever event is coming up next (currently the Steam Trains and Fairytales event) and have listed all the information about later events under the 'Events' menu.
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This year will be the fifteenth Weekend at the Asylum (AXV). We have a great deal of information to reveal about AXV over the coming months, so we have aded an extra 'Asylum' drop-down menu for that purpose. As a result some of the other drop-down menu names have changes slightly, but all other content remains the same.
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Do keep an eye on the 'Asylum' menu. We think you will be interested to see just how exciting Asylum is going to be this year.
International Steampunk Symposium
Asylum has attracted Steampunks from all over the world for many years and we expect AXV to be no different.
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One of the special features at AXV will be a symposium dedicated to 'Steampunk around the World'. We are inviting foreign visitors who would like to either give a short talk about Steampunk in their country or else who would like to take part in one or more panels to get in touch with the MoS, either through our Facebook page or by filling in the 'Contact Us' form under the 'Getting Involved' tab on this website.
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Our provisional plan is to hold the symposium in the Edwardian Suite of the County Assembly Rooms on Sunday afternoon, although neither the venue nor the time are fixed in stone (or brass) at this stage.
Abney Park at Asylum XV!
We promised some big announcements for Asylum XV (AXV).
We already announced at the closing ceremony that Steam Powered Giraffe will be performing at AXV but now we can announce that Abney Park will also be coming. This will make AXV a Steampunk musical treat like no other - the two biggest steampunk bands in the world, both playing the same weekend at AXV.
Abney Park, the magnificant Airship Pirates, will be headlining Pirate Night on Friday night at The Engine Shed and Steam Powered Giraffe will be headlining Time Trevellers on Sunday night, also at The Engine Shed.
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Tickets for both events will be going on sale in the New Year.
Happy New Year from the MoS
Thank you to everyone who came to the Steampunk New Year event at The Belmont Hotel in Leicester. We had a great time and it was the perfect start to a new year,
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The MoS will be putting on displays of Steampunk art and costumes at Megacon Live in Dublin (at the RDS) over the weekend of 18-19 January and then at Megacon Live in London (at the ExCel) over the weekend of 25-26 January.
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Our next published event will be the weekend of Steam Trains and Fairytales at the Midland Railway Trust at Butterley over the weekend of 17-18 May, but between now and then we have much to do to get ready to launch wristband and evening event ticket sales for Asylum XV (AXV). When we are close to launch we will make an announcement here and on Welcome to the Asylum, our Facebook page.
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We have already announced that Abney Park and Steam Powered Giraffe will both be playing at AXV, but stay tuned for more information about the evening events we are working on and some new daytime features as well.
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We are determined to make AXV the biggest and best celebration of Steampunk that has ever taken place anywhere. Meanwhile, we thank everyone who has supported the MoS to date and wish you all a Happy New Year.
Steampunk New Year
​Time is ticking by and there are now just a few rooms available if you would like to come and join the MoS to see in the New Year in style at The Belmont Hotel in Leicester. Here is the menu for New Year's Eve. You will find further details and the menu for Monday night's buffet 'Bombay to Shanghai' on the New Year page here (or just click the image below).
Asylum News
This is a very brief note to confirm that Asylum XV (AXV) will be held in Lincoln from 22-25 August 2025.
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The announcement was made at The Immortal Ball on Saturday evening at the Steampunk Halloweeen event and also sent by email to Patreons and to those who purchased a wristband for Asylum XIV in 2024.
Steampunk Halloween
Thank you to everyone who came to the Steampunk Halloween event at the County Assembly Rooms in Lincoln on 1-3 November. We had a brilliant time and it was wonderful to see so many happy faces.
Website Update
After many weeks of work negotiating the location of AXV and then running the Halloween event the MoS are now taking a break until towards the end of November. The website will be updated then. Please excuse the out-of-date content in the interim.
Steampunk New Year
Whether your last MoS event was Asylum or Halloween, if you are looking to round off 2024 and see in 2025 in grand Steampunk style take a look at the New Year event to be held in Leicester. Follow the link under 'events' above or click here to take you to the right page.
Steampunk Halloween
All the information you need about the Steampunk Halloween weekend taking place from Friday evening 1 November through to Sunday afternoon 3 November at the County Assembly Rooms in Lincoln is now up on the website page which you will find here.
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There are still tickets available for Ghost Night on Friday but The Immortal Ball on Saturday evening has sold out.
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Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are offering rooms in their new Student Village accommodation for £70 per night. The booking link is live now and can be accessed here or though the link on the main Halloween page.
Steampunk New Year 2025
Will be taking place at The Belmont Hotel in Leicester from 29 December 2024 - 1 January 2025 as previously announced (see 'Events' tab above). Bookings are being taken by the hotel now - see the website page for a link to the hotel website.
Steam Trains and Fairytales
The Ministry's fourth Fairytale Weekend is going to be held over the weekend of 17-18 May 2025.
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The location will be the Midland Railway at Butterley (https://www.midlandrailway-butterley.co.uk/)
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​Visitors will arrive at Butterley station where they will need to undergo passport and maybe fairytale-related health checks and the like before being transported by Steam Train to the main event venue at Swanwick Junction.
At Swanwick junction there are station buildings, engine sheds, various model and garden railways, tea rooms, a bar, a chapel, an adjacent country park and much more to explore and enjoy. We will have a Steampunk market too.
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As well as welcoming all fairytale characters as at the previous steampunk fairytale weekends at Belvoir and Tutbury castles, the railway location at Butterley will provide the perfect backdrop for the 'grittier' side of Victorian fae, pucks and other species as seen in the Amazon Prime TV series 'Carnival Row'.
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Tickets are not yet on sale. As soon as this changes it will be announced here and on our Facebook page Welcome to the Asylum.
The Town That Never Was
Will be returning to Blists Hill Victorian Town over the weekend of 5-6 July 2025.
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More information will become available in due course.
Asylum XV (AXV)
Weekend at the Asylum will be returning over the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August 2025.
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As it will be the fifteenth Asylum, the Ministry have been planning it for some time. At the Asylum 14 closing ceremony the following were announced:
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We will be using the abbreviation 'AXV' to stand for Asylum-XV.
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We will be welcoming Steam Powered Giraffe back to play at the event.
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The Asylum always attracts Steampunk visitors from all over the world, but for AXV we will be increasing the international theming of the event. More news will follow. ​
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We will be making some grants available for Steampunk makers who are interested in creating large exhibition pieces, particularly the kind of creations suitable to take part in the Grande Promenade. More details will follow.
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We have had some silicone wristbands made which bear the words "AXV - Weekend at The Asylum - 22-25 August 2025". There are suitable to be worn year-round as you wait patiently for and get excited about AXV. They were on sale at Asylum XIV for £1 each. We have some left and they will be for sale at future MoS events, but when they are gone they are gone. These wristbands will not gain you access to AXV!
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Event access wristbands and tickets for AXV are not yet on sale. As soon as this changes it will be announced both here and on our Facebook page Welcome to the Asylum.
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Asylum Location for 2025​
Weekend at the Asylum has always taken place in the City of Lincoln. For a variety of reasons but including the cost of accommodation in Lincoln over the August Bank Holiday in 2025, the MoS cannot confirm that the event will take place in Lincoln in 2025.
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Weekend at the Asylum is a community. We are a grand happening. Whilst we may like a place, we are not the location, we are the people.
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Much work is ongoing behind the scenes, involving conversations with various organisations and past partners in Lincon as well as organisations and venues in alternative city locations.
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As soon as we have clarity on the location for AXV this will be broadcast both here and on our Facebook page Welcome to the Asylum.
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Meanwhile, if you book accommodation for AXV in Lincoln we strongly urge you to ensure that you only secure accommodation that you can cancel.
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We have not taken this step lightly. It is creating a significant amount of additional work for the MoS at a time when we have just returned to our day jobs after running Asylum XIV. But we are doing what we are doing for the Steampunk community as a whole, to protect the event and ensure to the best of our ability that Weekend at the Asylum remains accessible to as many members of the Steampunk community as possible.
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Thank you for your understanding.
The Town That Never Was
Blists Hill Victorian Town - 29-30 June 2024
It's here! The programme for Saturday and Sunday at The Town That Never Was is now up on the website.
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We are trying very hard to release information such as this at the earliest opportunity, so please do check back from time to time in case of any subsequent changes to the content or order of events.
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Meanwhile we hope you enjoy getting ready for your return to The Town That Never Was.
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If you want to embrace the optional Steam Western theme we look forward to seeing what you come up with and of course we are particularly looking forward to seeing your entries for the H.G. Wells award.
You can also download the timetable in PDF format for each day by clicking the buttons below - then you can resize the document on your device, store and print if you wish.
Did you miss out on the limited edition Steampunk Fairytale pins which were on sale at the Steampunk Fairytale Weekend? We have a modest number left over and to test the water for possibly selling other MoS merchandise items by post, we are offering them for sale by mail order.
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You can purchase the pair including postage and packing here for a total price of £11.50, while stocks last.
Steampunk Fairytale Pins
Julia Cameron was a 19th Century photographer who concentrated on the artistic content of her images, rather than simply recording what was in front of her.
For Asylum XIV we have added a new award in her name to The Great Exhibition. You will find further details including how to apply for the award here and general information about the Great Exhibition here.
The Cameron Award for Photography
Part of the Great Exhibition at Asylum XIV
Steampunk New Year 2025
The Belmont Hotel Leicester
29 December - 1 January 2025
We had such a great time celebrating the Steampunk New Year 2024 at the Belmont Hotal that we are going back to do it again for New Year 2025.
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The event will be loosely themed on 'Around The World In 80 Days' and further details are now on the website page here. More will follow much nearer the date, but meanwhile the hotel are already taking bookings.
The Town That Never Was
Blists Hill Victorian Town - 29-30 June 2024
Information about this year's trip back in time to The Town That Never Was is now up on the relevant pages that you can access through the main menu above - or start here.
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More information will be added over the coming days and weeks. If you haven't been before be sure to check out the selection of photos taken at last year's event in the gallery here.
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If you want to find out about Blists Hill Victorian Town including information about tickets, parking etc., then you will find it on the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust website which you can reach here.
Steampunk Fairytale Weekend News!
The programme for the weekend is now up on the website here and it contains something for every Steampunk, every Fairytale Character and everyone else who is just looking for a fabulous event next weekend.
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This is going to be the very last major event at Tutbury Castle whilst the inimitable and remarkable Lesley Smith is the castle curator. It is a very special opportunity for Steampunks to enjoy an amazing event in a totally new venue with all manner of fabulous features.
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Lesley is well known for her costumed appearances as famous historical characters. She always dresses the part (even for radio interviews) and is the heart and soul of any gathering. Many will have seen her appearances on television (for example on 'Most Haunted'). She is always charismatic, bounding with energy and will be with us for the whole weekend, but most importantly she will be performing for us on Saturday evening as Elizabeth I, the original Faerie Queen.
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Other features for the weekend include witches dancing, magic, traders, the Brass Brothers, S.C.O.N.E., Belly Fusion, tea duelling and teapot racing and a number of talks on Fairytale and other Steampunk subjects.
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It will also be the perfect opportunity to pick up a set of MoS fairytale pins, subject to availability.
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The links for advance tickets to the daytime and evening events are above and we can't wait to see you all there!
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The pictures below are from last year's event - you will find more on the Gallery here and on the Welcome to the Asylum Facebook page.
Steampunk New Year!
Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate Steampunk New Year with the MoS at the wonderful Belmont Hotel in Leicester. We had a fabulous time and the feedback has been excellent. You will not surprised to learn that we are investigating the possibility of doing it all again next year - but more of that later.
Look what's just arrived at MoS HQ: shiny new Hulloween II medals!!
ASYLUM ON THE BACK COVER OF 'QUANTUM' COMIC
Word of The Asylum continues to spread - check out the full page advert for The Asylum on the back cover of issue #2 of the amazing Quantum comic anthology by Time Bomb Comics - in stores now. You might just spot one or two people you recognise...
The Ministry of Steampunk host Steampunk and alternative history events, including creating and hosting the Asylum Steampunk Festival in Lincoln since 2009.
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![Hannah & Diana [Neal]_edited.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_c116153970b44e8d9f130160c3d1f0f8~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_256,h_256,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Hannah%20%26%20Diana%20%5BNeal%5D_edited.jpg)
![Steph Steam drinking tea [Steph Steam]_edited.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_de424683f8204953b4640267a4a804b0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_256,h_256,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Steph%20Steam%20drinking%20tea%20%5BSteph%20Steam%5D_edited.jpg)
We are a somewhat amorphous organisation with various offices and bureaux that cover some of the myriad aspects of Steampunk and the wider anachronistic creative scene.
![3 Women [Sandi James].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_828c76e98010469093c555fa7f3ee2e0~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_158,y_73,w_1763,h_1763/fill/w_235,h_235,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/3%20Women%20%5BSandi%20James%5D.jpg)
We make no attempt to define Steampunk but instead strive to create opportunities where Steampunks can gather together and share their imaginations, creativity and friendship.
![Norfolk SP Parade [Neal].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_50e5d4c5d2014e44bdb189a0a188d3d2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_413,h_267,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Norfolk%20SP%20Parade%20%5BNeal%5D.jpg)
The Ministry's new website has been a while in the making, so why not find somewhere comfy to sit with a nice cup of tea and take a look around - follow the menus for information about our upcoming events, the Ministry itself, the various ways you can get involved and information on all manner of subjects from illicit markets to photography and weapons to tea duelling!
![Allan hillips [Steph Steam].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_1bd5acde74414c98b6017671c589fdf7~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_96,y_145,w_1171,h_1758/fill/w_235,h_377,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Allan%20hillips%20%5BSteph%20Steam%5D.jpg)
![Freckles L'Amour [Neal].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_a8df71c2c44d4a19b30f283a6e5ea865~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_39,y_0,w_1242,h_1856/fill/w_236,h_377,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Freckles%20L'Amour%20%5BNeal%5D.jpg)
![Nix & Stephen [Neal].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/034555_9da492b4c7e8468c8134b08b68fb7433~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_259,h_401,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Nix%20%26%20Stephen%20%5BNeal%5D.jpg)