Celebrating Creativity in Porthleven

A powerhouse force of community creativity, Porthleven has long been revered as a town where originality and contemporary Cornish culture can take centre stage. Food, music, heritage, and the arts all play a prominent role in the beating heart of this famous fishing port, which is why this year’s brand new Porthleven Arts Festival taking place this September is such a welcomed celebration.

It’s a founding belief of the Porthleven Arts Community (PAC) that everyone has the right to experience and participate in art. The new not-for-profit group has been established to connect the many artistic and creative individuals living in Porthleven, supporting and developing local projects and bringing the Porthleven art scene to a wider audience. Inspired by Porthleven Harbour and Dock Company owner, Trevor Osborne, who is also a Director of the new Community Interest Company, a number of other key Porthleven figures make up the group, such as manager of Porthleven Markets and a founder and former Chair of the Porthleven Food Festival, Hannahbeth Johnson, current Chair of the Food Festival Alec Short and local writer, content creator and part-time mermaid, Suzie Inman.

“Porthleven’s vibrant community and its thriving economy is much envied in Cornwall and well beyond,” says Trevor Osborne. “It is underpinned by excellent hospitality and culinary offerings and alongside these, but perhaps less visible, there has long been a very strong artistic contribution. Now, we have an opportunity to shine a light on the local artistic community and encourage Porthleven to become a regional arts hub.”

As well as encouraging the incredible artistic talent available in Porthleven, an aim of the community group is to bring national and internationally recognised artists to the town, to both work, exhibit and perform. It’s an exciting new initiative that looks to encourage art making in all its many diverse mediums, offering accessibility and increased opportunities for creative individuals working across all disciplines.

As part of the community group’s work, a range of events and projects are part of their schedule, some of which have already begun such as the community’s adoption of the BT Phone Box on the harbour and transforming it into a multimedia art gallery, the Little Box of Stories, to include a rolling programme of exhibitions and sound installations. The group also looks to help fellow community projects within the town, supporting Porthleven’s women’s cold water swimming group the Salty Sisters in creating a film about their experience (premiering at the festival on its opening weekend) alongside putting together an exhibition of Jim Tinley’s paintings. Tinley worked as an artist from one of the old shacks along Bay View Terrace and used photogrealism as an art form. In many of his artworks, the people and history of Porthleven play an imperative role and together with Jim’s widow, Sue, the PAC brought his paintings back to the port. A crowdfunder to create a book of Jim’s works is currently live until the end of August.

The group are also planning an annual celebration of Porthleven’s rich creative heritage. The first Porthleven Arts Festival is set to be held over 10 days across 10 venues this Autumn, bringing dance, drama, art, film and much more to life through a variety of performances, workshops, and events. Directed by Kelvin Batt, owner of the Mussel Shoals and co-creator of the Masked Ball Festival, the Porthleven Arts Festival will also be welcoming a broad range of talented performers into Porthleven across the festival’s run, such as multiple award-winning Par-based physical theatre and performance parkour group the Urban Playground Team (UPG), who will be heading to the harbour for a high-energy physical theatre with a brand-new show, commissioned by national art project the Time & Tide Bell organisation with support from the Pay-Bay based Creative Civic Change. With a unique blend of physical theatre, dance and free running, the group have toured across five continents over 16 years, including on nine occasions performing for the British Council.

Three years ago, UPG relocated to Par, Cornwall, and have since become associates with the Hall for Cornwall as well as lecturing at AMATA. In their show for the Porthleven Arts Festival, taking place on Sunday 3rd October, the whole family will be thrilled and entertained as a boat with high scaffold struts will act as an alternate stage as well as creating a powerful image to provoke discussion around the need to tackle climate change.

A lot more is set to bedazzle the Porthleven people and eager visitors at the festival, with a floating film screen in the harbour set to showcase local productions in the evening and a Mermaid Day on 2nd October to celebrate sea swimming, mermaid myth magic and art.

Literary enthusiasts can enjoy talks and readings of poetry and music fans will be treated to classical concerts including the incredible sounds from Bryher’s Boys. Formed in 2017 and recently featured in Rick Stein’s Cornwall, Bryher’s Boys’ collective love of established folk repertoire both nautical and Cornish has seen them clock up over 200 performances to date, from crowded pubs and community fundraisers to large scale concerts. Although firmly rooted in the male vocal tradition, their trademark style of free harmony ensures that no two performances sound the same.

Art lovers will be well catered to, with celebrations of Porthleven’s heritage, a postcard auction and an en plein air painting competition offering all artists the chance to get involved.

A community effort to inspire a community and beyond to get involved, the Porthleven Arts Festival ultimately embodies what the PAC want to encourage town-wide, the pursuit of exploring the arts, no matter your background, ability, or choice of medium. Membership to the community is free and as a member, you can start projects which are of interest, contribute new ideas and support ventures. As Hannabeth Johnson explains, everyone is welcome, “We want to hear from anyone and everyone in the community who is an artist, dreams of being one, or has a creative idea we might be able to help develop. We want to be a focal point and catalyst in encouraging art in all its forms and to bring more artistic projects, partners, networks, competitions and funding for the arts in Porthleven.” l

Win £3,000 in the Porthleven Harbour Arts Prize

A contest for traditional and digital artists, the Porthleven Harbour Arts Prize is a contest for both amateur and professional creatives working on canvas, board, paper, wood, metal and textiles.

There'll be an adults' and a children’s contest and winners will be chosen at the Porthleven Arts Festival, with a special prizegiving ceremony on Sunday 3rd October.

Their first ever festival-style event, the PAC are excited to bring this laid-back but buzzing 10-day celebration to life. Running from the 25th September to the 2nd October, you can find out more including how to get involved with the PAC at www.porthlevenarts.com

For the Jim Tinley Retrospective Book Crowdfunder, head to www.crowdfunder. co.uk/the-jim-tinley-retrospective-bookand-exhibition