On May 30, beneath Echo Bridge, something unexpected was happening: an art exhibition. In this liminal, unconventional space, artists displayed their artwork for appreciation in a setting far removed from the sterile white walls of a traditional gallery.

The art collective “There Will Be Cake” was founded by Elyse Victoria Faith Reed, an archaeology major at UTSA. The collective hosts pop-up art exhibitions in unconventional places. Reed started it while in search of artistic friends and a way into the local art scene, since submitting artwork to a gallery can be difficult.

The main goal of the art collective There Will Be Cake is to welcome artists of any medium and expertise level to submit their work for it to be displayed. The group sees itself as the antithesis of what traditional galleries are. The pop-up exhibit feels like a performance piece itself, with the dining table setup giving the space a homey feel. True to the collective’s name, guests were served cake as they explored the pop-up exhibition, which featured works from 34 artists, live performances, and a short film.

A unique touch to their pop-up exhibitions is the liminal living areas the group creates to give the space a sense of home. At the recent event, the collective set up a dining table, decorated empty wine bottles with wax-dripped candles, and laid out coloring supplies, plates, and silverware for the cake they would later serve.

“The antithesis of what we didn’t want to be is the sterile white-walled galleries,” Reed said. “To just hang art on a blank white wall, it takes all the dazzle away from it.”

There Will Be Cake Art Society hosts art exhibits every two to three months, with mixers in between referred to as “cake mix,” parties for the community that has formed after each event. These mixers help artists get to know one another better beyond their paintings hanging next to each other.

“We work really hard to create an inclusive atmosphere for artists to share with each other,” said Calli Deane, an artist and member of the art collective. “It’s much less intimidating than a traditional gallery.”

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