Cultural project to 'breathe new life' into 10 towns and villages in Cornwall
Tresorys Kernow has received over £500,000 to deliver a programme of cultural events
Last updated 5th May 2022
A project to breathe new life into 10 Cornish towns and villages is being launched this week.
Tresorys Kernow has received £579,973 of Government funding, through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
The pilot programme, led by Cornwall Museums Partnership and delivered in partnership with Creative Kernow, aims to reinvigorate town centres through an imaginative programme of cultural events.
Running from April to June 2022, the project is hoping to strengthen communities by working in collaboration with local people to produce a rich treasure trove of activities and events.
The towns and villages to benefit are Bodmin, Launceston, Bude, Truro, Porthcurno, Saltash, Lostwithiel, St Austell, Penzance, and Newquay.
"Tresorys Kernow is like lifting the lid on a treasure chest"
Alongside the arts events, Tresorys Kernow also offers a documentary production course for young people not in education, training or employment, as well as film-making work experience for 15–17-year-olds.
The cohort of young people will create an immersive film about the project and the essence of life in the 10 towns, which will then tour around the participating towns.
Creative Kernow will distribute funding of £100,000 in the five towns of Saltash, Lostwithiel, St Austell, Penzance and Newquay through cultural partners, artists and freelancers who will deliver exciting programmes across the high streets.
Fiona Wotton, CEO for Creative Kernow, said: "Tresorys Kernow is like lifting the lid on a treasure chest of creative talents in our communities in Cornwall.
"We are investing over £100,000 in grants to artists and creative producers to pilot new ways of delivering sustainable culture-led town renewal in partnership with residents and local businesses.
"We want to bring the joy back to the Cornish high street and invite visitors – whether local or from further afield – to try new things and celebrate our unique and enduring heritage".
Some events will use empty retail spaces within high streets. A further £20,000 has been committed to Studios on the High Street. This is a programme of residencies for at least six artists and other creative practitioners that will be happening in two empty shops and a pub/hotel in Launceston for 10 weeks, starting in mid-May 2022.
Cornwall Museums Partnership will distribute £100,000 in funding to deliver the project in five of the 10 towns, working alongside museums teams – Bodmin Keep, Charles Causey Trust in Launceston, The Castle in Bude, Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro and PK Porthcurno.
Fiona Morris, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Cornwall Museums Partnership (CMP) said: "At CMP, we hope that Tresorys Kernow will be the beginning of an exciting new initiative in partnership with Creative Kernow to help bring life back to our high streets and give our communities and young people the opportunity to create and share new stories, whilst drawing on the rich collection of artefacts and history that lie behind our unique cultural and geographic landscape".
Highlights from Tresorys Kernow – which means Cornish Treasures - include heritage and arts events, immersive experiences, pop-up tech events and skills programmes.
From Saltash’s Sea and Shanty Festival to PK Porthcurno’s environmentally-focused children’s workshops on bees, from Bude’s focus on innovation with inventor’s workshops to a mass synchronised swim at Penzance in aid of humanitarian support – there’s a wealth of incredible treasures to be discovered in our local towns.
The project is fully funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund and managed by Cornwall Council as the Lead Authority.
Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy Stephen Rushworth said: "We’re committed to working with communities to help revitalise our towns and villages. This initiative draws on the expertise of our internationally renowned cultural organisations who will inspire our communities, and especially our young people, to get involved in telling the stories of their ‘place’."
The programme will also explore how communities can adapt to climate change and respond to the benefits of their natural surroundings.
To find out more about what’s happening in a town near you, visit the Cornwall 365 website.