South West Spotlight: Cornwall
Our CEO Darren Henley hit the road last week to catch up with cultural organisations across Cornwall who have survived the pandemic thanks to funding from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Joined by our South West Area Director Phil Gibby, the three-day whistle stop tour was packed with enriching cultural experiences from Bodmin to Bodelva, with many stop-offs in between. Here’s a snap-shot of their trip:
First stop: Golden Tree’s Kerdroya at Bodmin Moor
Golden Tree is an artist-led company, developing and delivering projects that uncover and celebrate Cornwall’s distinctiveness and diversity. Artistic Director Will Coleman and his team gave Darren and Phil a tour of Kerdroya - a major new piece of permanent public art funded through National Lottery Project Grants and the Culture Recovery Fund – a 56m diameter classical labyrinth built of Cornish stone hedging at Colliford Lake on Bodmin Moor. At its centre is Heart of Kerdroya, a specially commissioned art work by Thrussels funded through National Lottery Project Grants.
Phil Gibby, Darren Henley, Will Coleman and the Golden Tree Productions team at the centre of the Kerdroya labyrinth at Bodmin Moor
Second stop: Creative Kernow in Redruth
Next up was Creative Kernow at Krowji, a cultural organisation in Redruth which supports the production, promotion and distribution of work by creative practitioners in Cornwall. Creative Kernow, a National Portfolio organisation (NPO), hosted a meeting with three other Cornish NPOs – Cornwall Museums Partnership, Wildworks, and Miracle Theatre – all recipients of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund which has given them a secure base from which to rebuild. During the meeting, they discussed the delivery of our 10-year strategy, Let’s Create.
Darren Henley and Phil Gibby at Krowji with Wildworks, Miracle Theatre, Cornwall Museums Partnership and Creative Kernow
Third stop: Hall for Cornwall in Truro
Hall for Cornwall is the largest performance venue in Cornwall, due to reopen in autumn after a major redevelopment. As well as commissioning new work from Cornish playwrights and theatre companies, Hall for Cornwall has a thriving community and a wide-ranging community and education programme. Its year-round events programme includes classical music, large-scale theatre, contemporary dance and international events. Joined by our Chair, Sir Nicholas Serota, Hall for Cornwall’s CEO and Creative Director Julien Boast gave a tour of the impressive new building, which was recently supported by a £2,000,000 grant through the Culture Recovery Fund, Capital Kickstart programme.
Nicholas Serota, Julien Boast, Darren Henley and Phil Gibby inside the new Hall for Cornwall. Image courtesy Hall for Cornwall
Fourth stop: Miracle Theatre’s Starcrazy in Penzance
Cornwall’s award winning Miracle Theatre produces a rich mix of touring theatre – from new writing to popular adaptations of classic plays, often in open-air, community and non-theatre venues. This summer they’ve been busy touring their latest show, Starcrazy, across the south west, animating beautiful and unexpected outdoor venues – from beaches and hilltops to gardens and castles. Darren and Phil headed down to Penlee Park Open Air Theatre in Penzance to catch the dazzling performance, which has been made possible thanks to the Culture Recovery Fund.
Darren Henley and Phil Gibby at Miracle Theatre’s Starcrazy at Penlee Park Open Air Theatre. Image courtesy Annie Ukleja
Final stop: The Eden Project in Bodelva
For the last leg of their journey, Darren and Phil took a trip to the spectacular Eden Project. Founded as a Millennium Project, the Eden Project was conceived as a venue with cutting-edge architecture, 15 hectares of contemporary gardens, iconic large covered Biomes and the capacity to produce and champion world-class, creative programmes – all with a focus on environmental responsibility. During their tour of the site, Darren and Phil had the opportunity to see Aziza Gate, a group of carved sculptures by El Anatsui in the Rainforest Biome, which has undergone major restoration. They also experienced unexpected pockets of magic as part of Eden’s Summer of Celebration, supported by the Culture Recovery Fund, and a performance from Hall for Cornwall’s New Artist Network.
Infinity Blue by Studio Swine, Core Building, Eden Project. Photo by Kathryn Nichols. Left to right: Dan James, Eden Project. Charlotte Bond, Eden Associate. Nema Hart, ACE. Darren Henley, ACE. David Harland, Eden Project. Misha Curson, Eden Project. Dr Jo Elworthy, Eden Project. Phil Gibby, ACE.
The roadtrip in Tweets @HENLEYDARREN and @PHILGIBBY
Heading to Cornwall for a staycation?
Make sure you check out Cornwall 365’s events calendar to see what’s on. Cornwall 365 are part of Creative Kernow’s cultural tourism network, and received funding from our Cultural Destination’s programme.
