Soft Serve

Mini Mega Market V

Soft Serve — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:57:20 +0000

We held our fifth market on 21 November 2025. This was our first market at Open Window, Blairgowrie, Johannesburg. It was a fantastic venue and we enjoyed meeting the new crowd. Looking forward to more events here!

FOOD & DRINKS

LetsCookMzansi
illi Bites
Cookie Brooke Queen
Great Planty
Dimsumfest/ Sushi/Taco Bar
Chillimama
Tilt Coffee
Namami
Kandyman
Monate Coffee
Blue Wave Mobile Bar

Grafixx Zine Fest, Antwerp

Soft Serve — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:13:35 +0000

We were thrilled to be invited to take part in De Studio’s Grafixx Zine fest in Antwerp from 21-23 November 2025. We exhibited a few of our Worldplay on Paper Zines and our Lo-Fi, DIY and Alternative Publications in South Africa zines.

Photos and info by Grafixx.

With contributions by a.o. 1 kilo Paradies project (CH), Actes Nord éditions (BE),  Aline Jan (FR),  Aluba Press (BE), Aubergine Press (BE ), Ansgar Reul (DE ), Begoña García-Alén  (ES), Bill Kartalopoulos (US ), Benjamin Courtault (FR),  Beauroma Books (IT),  Birthe Jannsens (BE),  Boem Studio (BE),  Camberwell Comic Club (UK),  chemistry Publishing (NL),  Cicada Books (UK),  Cullen Beckhorn (US),  Dungeon Press (BE),  Elizabeth Haidle (US),  Ekta (Daniel Götesson) (SE), Ephameron (BE),  Esther McManus (UK),  Emily Liu (TW),  Eve Drion (BE),  Faye Moorhouse (UK),  Felder Books Berlin (DE),  Fynn van der Ziel (BE),  Fotokino (FR),  Handowin He (CN),  Hannah Depraetere (BE),  Hanno De Rycke (BE),  Hurrikan Press (HU),  Ilja van den Broeck (BE),  Jeanne Ribbens (BE),  Jeroen Funke (NL),  Jeroen Janssens (BE),  Jul Quanouai (FR),  Juliane Noll (BE),  Julie Van Wezemael (BE),  Jumbo Press (ES),  Juna Horstmans (NL),  Katrin Stangl (DE),  Korneel Detailleur (BE),  Lise Hugot—Jamme (FR),  Louis Reith (NL),  Mara Piccione , Maria Victoria Rodriguez (DE),  Marcus Oakley (UK),  Nadine Redlich (DE),  Nele de Paepe (BE),  Nieves (CH),  Nigel Peake (GB),  Nikki Roosma (NL),  Óscar Raña (ES),  OttoGraphic (FR),  Ramsdam books (NL),  Rozenn Brécard (FR),  Sabien Clement (BE),  Sam Vanbelle (BE),  S A R A (MX),  Sara Mertens (BE),  Soft Serve Projects (ZA),  Solo Ma Non Troppo (FR),  SoleilSoleil (FR),  Studio Vlinderboom (NL),  Strange Sequences (BE),  Studio Knetterijs (NL),  Subseri (IT),  Tami Vera (BE),  Terry Bleu (NL),  Teuntje Fleur (NL),  Ton Piquant (BE ), Two & the same press (ES),  UUendy Lau (UK&HK),  Wobby (NL) and many more.

With stands by Bries (BE), Éditions Matière (FR), FRMK (BE), Infinitif (BE), Lagon Revue (FR), Laura Carlin (UK), Rotopol (DE), and Quintal Atelier (FR).

Lo-Fi Street Cred

Soft Serve — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:58:00 +0000

In August 2025 we launched a collaborative zine publication titled Artists’ lo-fi, DIY and Alternative Publications in South Africa. Maaike and I curated the project and the unique publication was produced as a series of Risograph-printed zines in a limited edition of 100. We hosted the publication launch at Open Window’s NOW Gallery on 2 August 2025. It was a mammoth task made possible by an incredible team. Find out more about the project here.

Project coordinator & curator: David Paton
Design & Layout: Daniella Rodrigues and Talitha Lewis (Open Window)
Creative Direction: Nina Torr and Maaike Bakker (Soft Serve)
Printing & Production : Philisiwe Memela, Callum Sutherland and Anni Kapp (Open Window)
Cropping and binding: Wet Ink

Mini Mega Market IV

Soft Serve — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 14:46:00 +0000

On 31 May 2025 we hosted our fourth market at Open Window Centurion.

Featured stands:
Putdownness
Cup o’ Crochet
The Hollander’s Cat
RS ART
SillySally illustrations
Pintub.png
Leaflings Studio
The Rat’s Nest
The Swift
michella.illustrates
Fablewood Studio
Swan Studios
Miss Mondays Art
Lex Makes Art
DEVOLUTIONERY (PTY) LTD
Morals the brand
Pagesandleaves
Fybre studios
Pineapple Hat Studio
Happygoella
Lululamb
DOTE Design Studio
Layer & Loop
Hand & Print
Laluka Lumina Photography & Design
Prismacat Creative
Simply Magic tricks
Soft Serve Projects
Family 404
Open Window MakerSpace

Food & Drinks:
Kuni’s Confectionery
Illi Bites
spoil.yourself.everyday
LUNGILICIOUS
Blissfull moments bakery
Culinary Club

Mini Mega Market III

Soft Serve — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 18:06:34 +0000

On 22 November we hosted our third Mini Mega Market at Open Window Centurion.

Despite the cloud break we hosted our first daytime market on 22 November. Visitors stocked up on holiday gifts. We’ve also found that Mini Mega Market remains one of the best places to buy unique stickers!

Mini Mega Market II

Soft Serve — Mon, 06 May 2024 18:03:40 +0000

We hosted our second Mini Mega Market at Open Window on 2 May, 2024.

Mini Mega Market

Soft Serve — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:01:00 +0000

On 6 December, 2023 we hosted our first Mini Mega Market at Open Window Centurion.

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Worldplay on Paper Vol. 1 Zines

Soft Serve — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 18:00:45 +0000

Worldplay on Paper Vol 1. is Soft Serve’s first zine series.

The third consecutive WORLDPLAY event was held at the Mogale Festival on 3 November 2023. Multi-disciplinary arts organisation Wêreld partnered with Hear My Voice (poetry organisation), Open Window School of Visual Communication and Soft Serve (Maaike Bakker and Nina Torr) to produce a series of printed A5 zines which feature the collaborative artworks of 20 illustrators and poets, a project titled “WORLDPLAY ON PAPER”. All the illustrators involved are Open Window Alumni or lecturers. The pairings are:

Xabiso Vili X Maaike Bakker
Bibi Slippers X Nina Torr
Angie Gallagher X Neil Badenhorst
Jolyn Phillips X Imile Wepener
Lethu Msimang X Miriek Jansen van Rensburg
Jonathan Lefenya X Kyle Kemink
Jaco van der Merwe X Zinhle Zulu
Xitha Makgeta X Daniella Rodrigues
Belita Andre X Bianca Brand
Flex of He & I X Nathan McKay

The project was funded by the ATKV and The Open Window. Covers were screen printed by Barry van der Westhuizen. Inner pages printed by Wet Ink.