Craft Focus - June/July 2020 (Issue 79)

15 SHOWS & EVENTS Huge success as Cake International hosts its f irst ever show on screen For the first time in its 26-year history, Cake International which attracts tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe, hosted its first ever event online. The UK event brings competitors and visitors a full programme of demonstrations, workshops and creative features and showcases some of the world’s best cake decorating and sugar art talents. With the world in lockdown, dedicated fans and cake artists that were scheduled to attend Cake International on Tour at Excel London on 24 th and 25 th April, 2020 were left feeling disappointed. Following the idea by senior event manager Melanie Underwood to launch a virtual on-screen show, the team had just three weeks to turn the event into a reality. From the comfort of homes online viewers were able to enjoy CI on Screen’s jam-packed, cake-filled schedule across two full days. The online show, sponsored by The Cake Decorating Company, was hosted on Facebook Live by renowned cake artists Molly Robbins and Paul Bradford, both who annually attend and support Cake International events. As part of the online event and mirroring the planned programme for Excel London, cake enthusiasts were encouraged to enter Cake International’s first virtual competition. Categories included ‘Floral Creations’, ‘Decorative Exhibit’, ‘Wedding Cake or three tiers or more’ as well as a competition for juniors to enter their masterpieces. The online competition received more than 450 entries from 58 countries across the world and finalists were shortlisted by a team of esteemed Cake International judges, including head judge David Close. Facebook viewers were then given the opportunity to vote for their favourite ‘Best in Show’ winner by public vote, which received almost 1,800 votes. The first CI on Screen has proven to be a monumental success with hundreds of viewers already requesting for Cake International to host regular online events. In excess of 48,000 unique viewers tuned in each day, with an average daily reach of 144,000. For those cake enthusiasts, artists and anyone starting their cake journey who weren’t able to watch live, the event can still be viewed via the Cake International website or Facebook page. For more details and content, visit www.cakeinternational.co.uk THE FESTIVAL OF QUILTS POSTPONED UNTIL 2021 Upper Street Events and The Quilters’ Guild are sorry to announce the postponement of The Festival of Quilts, Europe’s biggest patchwork and quilting event, until 29 th July -1 st August, 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘virtual’ competition will however still go ahead, with further details on the event’s website page. The Festival of Quilts was due to take place on 30 th July-2 nd August, 2020 at the NEC Birmingham with 26,000 visitors expected to attend from all over the world. The Festival features 800 hung competition quilts, Textile Galleries by acclaimed international artists and groups, The Fine Art Textiles Award, hundreds of workshops, talks and lectures, practising artists at work and 300 retail exhibitors. The event’s organisers have been following UK Government guidelines and working with rolling advice from Public Health England and other organisations. Anna Baptiste, event director for The Festival of Quilts, said: “We’re passionately committed to the quilting and textile art communities and are devastated to be making this decision. We appreciate how disappointed the quilting community, Festival sponsors and partners will be but the safety of our staff, exhibitors, visitors, artists, workshop tutors, stewards and contractors are of the utmost importance. We’re working with the NEC to plan a bumper Festival next year. For many people, textile crafts like quilting, sewing and knitting play an important role in supporting mental health and well-being. We have no doubt during this anxious time that the nation’s stitchers will be finding some comfort in their craft projects. Some of us may even pick up a needle and thread or pair of knitting needles for the first time.” Further information is available at www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk or by signing up to the Festival newsletter at https://www. thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/join-mailing-list/ 