House of Voltaire launches ‘Beryl Cook and Friends’ at Bicester Village, a spectacular village-wide takeover (10 September – 25 October 2026).
House of Voltaire presents ‘Beryl Cook and Friends’ at Bicester Village (10 September – 25 October 2026).
Today, 10 September 2026, on what would have been Beryl Cook’s 100th birthday, House of Voltaire and Bicester Village launch a major project celebrating the enduring legacy of the iconic British painter. Spanning the length and breadth of the Village, the mile-long open-air installation of life-size cutout characters and murals from the artist’s best-loved paintings bring her unmistakable style to life.
Self-taught artist Beryl Cook (b. 1926–d. 2008) came to prominence in the 1970s and quickly became one of Britain’s best-loved artists, with a hugely successful career spanning four decades. An astute documenter of daily life, she became an immediate part of the British cultural landscape, celebrated for her exuberant style, rendered in stylised, colourful forms. Eating, drinking, shopping, gardening, dog-walking, dancing, dressing up and going out, Cook’s characters engage joyfully and enthusiastically in every element of daily life. Her most enduring images are of glamorous women carousing in nightclubs, eating in cafés or enjoying ribald hen parties. As Cook said, “I love it when I see people enjoying themselves.”
Visitors find themselves shopping, eating and walking right alongside Cook’s larger-than-life characters who populate the streets, benches, signposts, green spaces and phone boxes of Bicester Village. From characters shopping at the market, bowling on the green and gardening, to flamboyant ladies dancing on balconies, Cook’s depictions of everyday Britain celebrate the joy of daily life. Guests can pose for a photo with a full-scale scenic recreation of one of Cook’s most enduring paintings, Breakfast at Elvira’s (1996), a beloved neighbourhood spot originally run by the artist’s son and daughter-in-law. Even the bushes and trees host Cook’s lively depictions of rotund pigeons, cats and dogs.
Cook’s characters lead visitors to a House of Voltaire pop-up in the centre of the village, hosting an exclusive capsule collection celebrating all things Beryl Cook, ranging from limited-edition prints to specially designed cushions, tea towels, silk scarves, pin badges, tea cups, tea trays, tablecloths and lambswool dog blankets. House of Voltaire are offering very rare, original Beryl Cook paintings for sale.
‘Beryl Cook and Friends’ also pairs Cook’s work with a stellar lineup of editions and merchandise by renowned artists and designers who continue her important legacy. Contributors include Ashish, Jeremy Deller, Patrizio di Massimo, Anthea Hamilton, Chantal Joffe, Ella Kruglyanskaya, Linder, and France-Lise McGurn. Limited editions by iconic British artists Stanley Spencer and Louis Wain are available, contextualising Cook’s work alongside two historic artists whom Cook was greatly influenced by.
With prices ranging from £7 to £70,000, the collection allows established collectors and burgeoning enthusiasts alike to take home a piece of British cultural history.
Bringing Cook’s joyous energy from the Village to London, House of Voltaire will return to Mayfair in collaboration with Bicester Village at an exhibition space on Cork Street, London (No. 9), from 27 November to 19 December 2026, offering a cornucopia of unique works, limited editions and specially commissioned homewares, clothing and accessories from over 100 artists and designers, just in time for Christmas shopping.
All works are available globally at houseofvoltaire.org. Sales support arts and education charity Studio Voltaire’s free artistic and community programmes.
Organised in close collaboration with Beryl Cook’s family, the project follows Studio Voltaire’s blockbuster 2024 exhibition, Beryl Cook / Tom of Finland, the most-visited in the organisation’s 32-year history, which helped to reappraise the artist’s oeuvre and bring her work to a new generation of admirers. A subsequent retrospective of Cook’s work was held this January–May at The Box in her hometown of Plymouth, reaching record-breaking audiences.
This project also marks the launch of a three-year partnership between Studio Voltaire and Bicester Village, with Bicester Village providing transformational funding to Studio Voltaire’s renowned Learning Programme. This landmark partnership will allow Studio Voltaire to significantly expand its creative programming with local schools, colleges and community groups. Designed to overcome the barriers often encountered in formal education, the programme champions those with limited access to creative opportunities by providing free, artist-led workshops, drop-in activities, and skills-development sessions that are deeply rooted in fostering wellbeing and community joy.
Joe Scotland, Director, Studio Voltaire, said:
“Following our record-breaking exhibition in 2024, it is an honour to celebrate Beryl Cook’s centenary on such a grand, public scale. This partnership with Bicester Village not only brings Beryl’s joyful vision to millions of visitors but also provides transformational funding for our Learning Programme, securing much-needed creative access for the next generation.”
Sophie Howe, Beryl Cook’s granddaughter, said:
“Our family is thrilled to work with Studio Voltaire and Bicester Village on this centenary celebration. My grandmother loved nothing more than watching people enjoy themselves, laugh and dress up. Seeing her characters come to life along the vibrant streets of the Village is the perfect, playful tribute to her life and work.”
James Lambert OBE, Deputy Chairman at Value Retail, said:
“We are delighted to welcome the iconic world of Beryl Cook to Bicester Village. This mile-long takeover offers our guests a completely unique cultural experience this autumn. Crucially, we are incredibly proud that this collaboration launches a three-year partnership supporting Studio Voltaire’s vital learning and community initiatives.”
Feature and body images courtesy of Studio Voltaire, Bicester Village and the Estate of Beryl Cook. Photo by Benedict Johnson Photography.
