88cakes is an ongoing participatory arts project involving lots of cake. Its first installment was an unconventional cake sale in a victorian terraced house. It was enjoyed by around 500 members of the public during the Southbank Bristol Arts Trail on 10 and 11 May 2008. In excess of 35 cakes, created on the theme of motherhood in a range of media by members of the public were exhibited and for sale both whole and by the slice. In addition to cakes, the company presented two different, short, site-responsive performances. Throughout the day, intimate, mixed-age audiences of about fifteen people were ushered into the hallway and watched action taking place either in the kitchen or the upstairs landing. Each performance lasted about 5 minutes.

This project is part of Motherland, an experiment in making cultural and creative activity that can be enjoyed by a wide audience but particularly by mothers with young children.  With this project, we are curious about the possibility of creating events that nourish the audience/mother’s need for community and creative and cultural stimulation whilst respecting and accommodating their young children.

Please do contact us if you are interested in hearing more or would like to be informed about future activities. Likewise, if you attended or participated in 88cakes, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us any feedback or thoughts you might have about the exhibition or the performances.

88cakes in the Southbank Bristol Arts trail was made possible through the generosity and creativity of over fifty neighbours, colleagues, artists, friends, mothers and cake makers. To all of you we extend big THANK YOU!

see all the cakes

see a list of all the bakers

 see the full list of credits and acknowledgements

find out how to participate