The exhibition opens on Saturday, June 28
A powerful and thought-provoking exhibition celebrating Cornwall’s diverse communities is opening at Cornwall’s archive centre, Kresen Kernow.
Cornwall’s Communities: Archives of Lived Experiences is a collaboration between Cornwall Lived Experience Partnership (CLEP), Kresen Kernow and community members from across Cornwall.
Through creative workshops and personal storytelling, contributors have explored themes of identity, belonging, fairness and representation, offering fresh perspectives on Cornwall’s rich archival history.
The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday, June 28, until October 11, 2025.
Zuzanna Michajluk, Community Partnership and Engagement Officer for disAbility Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, said: "The experience of collaborating with Kresen Kernow on this project has been a remarkably seamless and rewarding experience. Their professionalism, creativity and deep commitment to community engagement made the process not only effective, but genuinely collaborative.
“As facilitator of the Cornwall Lived Experience Programme, I truly valued the openness and care with which the Kresen Kernow team approached every stage of this project, ensuring that participant voices remained at the heart of the exhibition."
Using photographs, letters, documents and other archive items, paired with the participants’ written reflections and creative responses, the exhibition offers a vibrant, inclusive narrative that challenges some traditional historical perspectives.
Councillor Sarah Preece, Portfolio holder for Tourism, Localism and Planning at Cornwall Council, said: “I am delighted to support the work of Cornwall Lived Experience Partnership and Kresen Kernow in exploring issues of identity, belonging, fairness and representation with communities across Cornwall.
“What better way to find a voice than by combining creativity and storytelling and drawing on the rich archival past so carefully preserved by the team at Kresen Kernow. This exhibition honours all those who experience barriers in their lives and provides insight and inspiration to all.”
Visitors are invited to engage with the stories, questions and emotions that emerged from the workshops - echoes from the archives that resonate with lived realities and interests today.
This exhibition has been funded by an Engagement Grant from The National Archives.
Kresen Kernow is open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 9.30am-4pm.
Press release issued on June 24, 2025