Julia Mills

PENZANCE’S CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS

Throughout history, Penzance has nurtured daring risk-takers, creative thinkers and independent minds and today, its natural beauty, impressive architecture and abundance of galleries, museums and gardens continue to nurture a thriving artistic community.

Penzance Studios For the past 3 years a group of over 60 Penzance based artists have joined together to promote Penzance an its artist community. They produce a catalogue and website to showcase the wide variety of art available and being produced in this beautiful seaside town. All of the artists are happy to be contacted directly for studio visits. www.penzancestudios.org

Penzance Exchange and Newlyn Art Gallery For more than 120 years, Newlyn Art Gallery has been bringing the best in contemporary art to audiences in the south west. It’s sister gallery, The Exchange, is a major contemporary art space in the centre of Penzance, showing national and international contemporary art, plus work by some of the town’s most innovative local artists. www.newlynartgallery.co.uk

Penlee Museum, Theatre and Gardens Located within the Penlee Park, Penlee House Gallery & Museum which houses a permanent collection of Newlyn School paintings and a programme of changing exhibitions celebrating local arts and crafts. Also, within the gardens is Penlee Open Air Theatre, a unique outdoor theatre space that has celebrated Cornish, national and international performers since 1948. www.penleehouse.org.uk/

Morrab Gardens Originally created in 1841 these lovely public gardens are open year-round and are a haven of Mediterranean and sub-tropical plants. The gardens contain Morrab Library and feature Grade II architectural structures including a Victorian bandstand and fountain. www.morrabgardens.org

St Anthonys Gardens Situated by the sea on the site of the 12th century St. Anthony`s Chapel, the earliest Christian place of worship in Penzance, the gardens contain an archway which was part of the original chapel, and a 12-foot fountain bowl, carved from a single block of granite.

Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens Opened in 2012, the woods, stream and dramatic vistas provide a perfect setting for large scale exotic and sub-tropical planting that showcase sculptural works from the likes of James Turrell RA, Kishio Suga, David Nash RA, Richard Long RA and Tim Shaw RA all of whom have visited and created site specific pieces to interact with the beautiful environment. www.tremenheere.co.uk

For more information on Penzance’s local haunts and a full list of galleries, check out www.lovepenzance.co.uk