Join us on Friday, June 19 at 7:30 PM for a screening of Makin' Cake the film directed by Dasha Kelly. For most of human history, baking required patience, resources ... and luck. Ingredients were scarce and expensive; chemistry was fickle; and the chain of procedures required days. When our nation began experiencing abundance for the first time, most Americans couldn’t afford basic cake ingredients.
Doors open at 6:30 PM.
Makin’ Cake is a documentary that explores the cultural history of baking in America through the lens of equity, class and race. Writer and performance artist Dasha Kelly travels across the country speaking with bakers, social scientists and historians while incorporating live footage from her nationally touring stage production of the same name. Blending documentary storytelling, performance art and personal experimentation in the kitchen, the film reveals how a beloved dessert reflects deeper stories of race, class, and privilege in American life.
Makin' Cake Film Screening with Dasha Kelly
Dasha Kelly is a writer, performance artist and creative change agent. She has authored award-winning poetry, essays and fiction. She is a mainstage storyteller and host with The Moth, an alum of HBO's Def Poetry Jam, Poet Laureate Emerita for both the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin and a National Laureate Fellow with the American Academy of Poets. In 2024, Dasha was named a Living Legacy Honoree by the licensing agency for the legendary poet Gwendolyn Brooks. A skilled engagement practitioner and instructor, Dasha has facilitated initiatives in Botswana, Mauritius and Beirut as an Arts Envoy for the U.S. Embassy. Her nationally-touring stage show, Makin’ Cake, serves audiences a unique conversation on race, class and equity. Her nonprofit literary arts organization, Still Waters Collective, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Dasha released three books in 2025: a poetry anthology, A Line Meant (Jaded Ibis Press), and two novels Baker’s Dozen... Read More
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.
Our galleries are normally open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.
We will be closed Tuesday, June 2 and Wednesday June 3 for a private event.