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Cornwall Art Galleries

Cornwall had always attracted artists. 

From the glistening seas to the rolling hills, artists have been coming here for centuries to gain inspiration for their work. 

Local artists, too, have their heritage and their memories to create stunning pieces. From stone to silver, cardboard to clay, the materials used are almost endless.

And with the artwork comes something else – galleries. 

There are hundreds in Cornwall from holes in the wall to super-size to hidden gems. It must be admitted, some are better than others so, to help out every art enthusiast that comes to Cornwall, here are 13 art galleries you need to visit when here.

Cornwall Art Galleries: The Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden

The Tate first gained links to St Ives when it took ownership of the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in 1980. 

The Museum and Garden had been formed from Hepworth’s house and studio after her death there in 1975. In 1988, a space for the Tate St Ives had been chosen, and it opened its door in June 1993. 

It now features contemporary displays and exhibitions, as well as showing films, presentations, and art by local artists. 

Their upcoming exhibitions and displays include Very volcanic over this green feather by Petrit Helilay (16th October 2021 to 16th January 2022) and the artwork of students from Penpol School and Mounts Bay Academy (10th September to 13th October 2021).

How much does it cost?

Entry to Tate St Ives until 26th September 2021
Adults £12 (with donation)

£10.50 (without donation)

Concessions* £10.50 (with donation)

£9.50 (without donation)

Entry to Tate St Ives from 27th September 2021 to 
Adults £8.50 (with donation)

£7.50 (without donation)

Concessions* £7.50 (with donation)

£6.50 (without donation

Entry to Barbara Hepworth Museum
Adult £8 (with donation)

£7 (without donation)

Concessions* £7 (with donation)

£6 (without donation)

Those aged 18 and under enter all for free.
Members Free entry ticket, as long as booked online
Locals Pass £5 a year, free entry for Cornish residents as long as booked online

 

*Concessions apply to visitors over 60, students over 18, visitors with disabilities, and job seekers.

Visitors must book online.

Contact details and opening times

Tate St Ives can be contacted by phone on 01736 796226, or via their website https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives.

Their opening hours are 10 am to 5.30 pm every day. The last entry is 5.20 pm.

Cornwall Art Galleries: The National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Cornwall’s National Maritime Museum, located on Discovery Quay, Falmouth, hosts fifteen galleries showing off the history of Falmouth, the oceans, and how they have affected us. 

Their Memories of Falmouth exhibit, showcasing photography and film taken of the town between 1934 and 1969 is open until 3rd October. Opening on 16th October is the national exhibit Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed. 

This shows off the artistry and history of UK tattooing, returning to the National Maritime Museum after a national tour.

How much does it cost?

Adults £14.95
Children (under 18) £7.50
Children (under 5) Free

Plus, free returns for a year after your first visit!

Contact details and opening times

Find out more by calling 01326 313388 or going to their website www.nmmc.co.uk/

The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day, apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Newlyn Art Gallery

Newlyn Art Gallery has been showing contemporary art for more than 125 years. 

Its second venue, The Exchange, opened in Penzance in 2007 after a major refurbishment. 

Their current exhibits include Outside the Algorithm (The Exchange) which uses GIFs and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to show how we have come to rely on digital technology, and In Your Hands (Newlyn Art Gallery), an international collaboration in which artists had others make their work for them. 

For example, Pittsburgh-based Lenka Clayton and Phillip Andrew Lewis commissioned Cornish net-makers Henry Cowls and Sons to make one net out of every mesh they produce.

How much does it cost?

Adults £4.50
Children (under 18) Free
7-day pass to both venues £4

Contact details and opening hours

Find out more by calling 01736 363715 or going to their website www.newlynartgallery.co.uk.

The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Penlee House Gallery

Penlee House was originally built in 1865 as the home of the Branwell family. In 1880, an influx of artists into Newlyn created what was known as the Newlyn School. Penlee House became a place for them to show their artwork, later transforming into an official public gallery and museum.

They offer exhibits and events for both adults and children. Their weekly Art in the Park events, held in Penlee Park, teaches children how to create old-fashioned toys and paintings similar to those of the gallery’s current exhibitionist, Laura Knight.

How much does it cost?

Adults £6
18-26-year-olds/registered students £3
Children Free

Contact details and opening hours

For more information, call 01736 363625, or visit their website www.penleehouse.org.uk.

The gallery, museum, and gardens are open from 10 am to 5 pm every Monday to Saturday, with the last entry at 4.30 pm.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Falmouth Art Gallery

Falmouth Art Gallery holds over 2000 pieces of artwork, including lithographs, Cornwall-based surrealism, and eclecticism. 

They currently run artistic drop-in events aimed at children and babies at Gyllyngdune Gardens. 

Their Summer exhibit Ingenious features a variety of artwork and documents and objects from varying archives, and comes with free workshops, talks, and events.

How much does it cost?

Falmouth Art Gallery has free entry.

Contact details and opening hours

To find out more, call 01326 313863, or visit their website www.falmouthartgallery.co.uk

The gallery is open from 10 am to 4 pm from Monday to Friday and 10 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. There are limited hours around Christmas, New Year, and Easter.

Cornwall Art Galleries: The Leach Pottery

Leach Pottery was established in St Ives in 1920 by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada. They show a variety of exhibits, however several of these have moved online due to COVID-19. 

One specific online exhibit is Pottery & People, in which they asked people to send in videos of themselves with their favourite work of pottery or ceramics, explaining why it is so special to them.

Leach Pottery runs pottery courses for everyone, from specialist courses for those already embedded in the pottery lifestyle to courses for complete beginners. 

They also provide Clay for Kids, hour-long workshops for children to make their own pottery. As well as this, their Baby Clay sessions provide children aged two and a half years and younger to play with clay to their hearts’ delight!

How much does it cost?

Adults £8 (including guidebook)
Children (under 18s) Free
Course prices Variable

Contact details and opening hours

To contact Leach Pottery, call 01736 799703 or visit www.leachpottery.com.

Leach Pottery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, with the last admission at 4 pm, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Booking is necessary.

Leach Pottery Shop is open from 10 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday, and 11 am to 4 pm on Sundays.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Museum of Cornish Life

The Museum of Cornish Life is a Helston-based gallery and museum showing off the stunning history of Cornwall. 

Offering a variety of exhibitions to visitors, MCL is run mostly by volunteers. 

Their current exhibitions include photography covering Cornwall during World War 2 and information on the local geology.

How much does it cost?

Entry is free.

Contact details and opening hours

MCL can be contacted on 01326 564027, or via their website, https://museumofcornishlife.co.uk/.

MCL is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 12 pm to 4 pm on Saturdays.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Tregony Gallery

Tregony Gallery, based in Tregony, near Truro, has been open since 2015. Owners Brian and Judi Green created a modernist gallery showing a wide range of contemporary art forms, including still life paintings, abstract sculptures, and prints. 

The gallery’s current exhibitions include Promenade:4, a selection of artwork from the gallery celebrating “the beautiful Cornish summer”. A 3D version is available on their website to allow those who can’t view it physically to enjoy the artwork.

From 14th September to 9th October 2021, they are hosting Beacon, an exhibition to show the work of still life painter, Euan McGregor.

How much does it cost?

Entry to the gallery is free.

Contact details and opening hours

Tregony Gallery can be contacted on 01872 530505, or 07496 953471 out of hours. They can also be contacted via their website, www.tregonygallery.co.uk.

Tregony Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm, with a brief break for lunch. Visitors may be able to come to the gallery out of hours, but if this occurs, Brian and Judi Green require you to book ahead. 

Cornwall Art Galleries: Penwith Gallery

Penwith Gallery is located in St Ives and is home to Penwith Society of Arts. 

The Society was founded in 1949 by a group of artists based in St Ives, including Barbara Hepworth and Bernard Leach. 

Until 1960, the pieces were displayed at a rented property. Following this, however, a disused pilchard-packing factory was bought and transformed into a gallery with 10 studios above it. Other properties became available and Penwith Gallery increased in size, allowing more galleries, a shop, and an archive to be built in St Ives.

Penwith Gallery shows both contemporary and historical pieces. 

Their upcoming exhibitions come from stoneworker Richard Holliday and painter Renee Spierdijk’s joint show, Canvas and Stone, and the newest showpieces by South West group The 21 Group of Artists. 

Both exhibits run from 11th September to 9th October 2021.

How much does it cost?

Entry to the gallery is free.

Contact details and opening hours

Penwith Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday. Alternatively, they can be contacted on 01736 795579 or via their website www.penwithgallery.com

Cornwall Art Galleries: The Customs House Gallery

The Customs House Gallery has been open in Porthleven for over 20 years. They show several different art forms including textiles, glasswork, and sculpting. They also offer framing services.

Their main exhibition is currently that of potters Hugh West and Karen Carolyn (1st to 30th September 2021). 

Customs House’s later shows include those of painters Jack Davis (4th to 13th September 2021) and Simon Jewell (25th September to 4th October 2021).

The majority of the artwork at The Customs House Gallery is for sale.

How much does it cost?

Entry to the gallery is free.

Contact details and opening hours

The Customs House Gallery can be contacted on 01326 569365 or via their website www.cornwall-art.co.uk.

They are open daily from 10.30 am to 5 pm.

Cornwall Art Galleries: St Ives Ceramics

St Ives Ceramics was started in 1990 by ceramicist John Bedding as a small workshop gallery for him to show his own pottery and that of potters he admired. 

In 1990, pottery was not a large part of the artwork in Cornwall; it was mostly seen as a secondary art form, with no museum or gallery purely for the showing of pottery.

Due to the success of his workshop gallery, in 1998 John moved it across St Ives, increasing the size of his gallery and workshop. 

It now shows off a wide array of contemporary pottery, as well as the gallery’s CBS. Collection, which shows off master pottery of the 20th century. 

St Ives Ceramics’ will soon be showing a new exhibition, Making Waves. Making Waves will celebrate 100 years since the opening of The Leach Pottery, and will be open from 11th September to 6th November 2021.

How much does it cost?

Entry to the gallery is free.

Contact details and opening times

St Ives Ceramics is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. They can be contacted at 01736 794930, or via their website www.st-ives-ceramics.co.uk.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Lighthouse Gallery

Lighthouse Gallery was opened in Penzance 18 years ago by Tracey Spry and Christine Weschke. They offer visitors a selection of art forms, from glasswork to paintings to jewellery.

Lighthouse Gallery specialises in works from local artists and creators, and those articulating Cornwall in their work. Lighthouse Gallery is taking part in the Affordable Art Fair show held in Battersea, London from 21st to 24th October 2021. 

Cornish artist Catherine Hyde has a solo exhibit at Lighthouse Gallery later this year, from 6th to the 20th November. Catherine specialises in symbolic painting.

The majority of the works displayed at Lighthouse Gallery are for sale.

How much does it cost?

Entry to the gallery is free.

Contact details and opening hours

Lighthouse Gallery can be contacted on 01736 350555 or via their website, www.lighthouse-gallery.com.

They are open from 10 am to 4 pm Monday through to Saturday.

Cornwall Art Galleries: Beside the Wave

Set up in 1989, Beside the Wave is a Falmouth-based gallery focusing on contemporary impressionism inspired by the Cornish landscape. Their art is created by a variety of artists, from established artists such as Richard Tuff to emerging artists, like recent local graduate, Ruth Watkinson.

As well as paintings and prints, Beside the Wave also offers ceramics, jewellery, and sculptures. The works shown are made by many local creators using different techniques and materials.

Their current exhibition is that of still life artist Emma Dunbar. Future exhibitions include those of Benjamin Warner (8th October to 28th October 2021) and Richard Tuff (29th October to 30th November 2021).

All pieces are available to buy in-store and online. 

How much does it cost?

Entry to the gallery is free.

Contact details and opening hours

Beside the Wave can be contacted via their website www.beside-the-wave.co.uk or by calling 01326 211132.

Their opening hours are from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday, and 11 am to 4 pm on Sundays.

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