LONDON.- Edible Masterpieces is a new fundraising initiative from the Art Fund, the national fundraising charity for art, encouraging art lovers, museum goers, keen bakers and cooks to help raise money for UK museums and galleries by cooking up an edible masterpiece. Entrants can register and obtain their Edible Masterpieces fundraising packs, full of recipes and inspiration, from www.artfund.org/edible from today, 20 February 2014.

The Art Fund is calling on people to organise their own cooking challenges or events on and around Friday 9 May 2014 to see who can create the finest edible masterpieces inspired by their favourite work of art or cultural icon, be it a contemporary piece, an Old Master, or even a famous landmark building. It could be a friendly competition with work colleagues, a tea party with friends or family or even a traditional bake sale. Entrants need not limit themselves to baking – edible masterpieces can be created using vegetables, fruit, cheese or even the humble sugar cube.

The top 25 Edible Master fundraisers will be entered into a competition with a chance of winning exciting prizes – including a UK cultural short break for two and tickets for blockbuster exhibitions.

All funds raised will go towards supporting UK museums and galleries, helping them to buy and show great art for everyone – from Picassos at the National Museum Wales and Constables at Tate, to the Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent and Titians at the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery.

Participants will be encouraged to send photos of their creations to the Art Fund’s social media channels – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter – using the hashtag #ediblemasterpieces.

There will be a special designated Edible Masterpieces web page which will host further information and inspiration through recipes ranging from the bizarre to the beautiful – think Damien Hirst skull cake or a Sarah Lucas gingerbread woman. Further recipes and ideas will be included in the Edible Masterpieces information pack, supplied upon registration, which will include ideas, tips and hints on creation making, images of inspiring end results, ideas for how to raise money as well as stickers and posters to use at an Edible Masterpieces event.