The Culture Team works on a wide range of projects. These are both large and small.
A Culture Investment Board helps us to identify priorities for investment. The Board brings together public sector funders. The Board supports the development of culture in Cornwall. The following organisations take part in the Board:
- Cornwall Council
- Arts Council England
- National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Historic England
Representatives from the culture and creative sector also contribute to the Board.
Cornwall Council has an agreement, called a Culture Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was initially agreed in 2019. It helps us work strategically with these partners. We are delighted to share that a new Memorandum of Understanding has now been signed, to cover the period from 2024-2030.
Projects
More detailed information about some projects are available:
Cornwall Council is fortunate to have a significant art collection. This includes work by artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Alfred Wallis and Patrick Heron. The calibre of the collection reflects Cornwall's significance in the art world. Most of the Council’s artworks are held in the Schools Art Collection which started in 1961. Find out more about the history of the Schools Art Collection.
The Schools Art Collection is currently managed by the Royal Cornwall Museum. If you work at a school in Cornwall, find out more about how your students can enjoy the collections and explore a catalogue of the artworks on the Royal Cornwall Museum website
They organise:
- Loans of work to schools
- An exhibition programme
- Educational workshops
- Learning resources
Occasionally works are loaned to local museums and galleries.
The Leach Pottery in St Ives takes care of the ceramic works that are part of the collection. Many of these can be seen as part of a visit to the studio, museum and gallery there.
As well as the Schools Art Collection the Council owns a small number of other artworks. Many are on display at local libraries, in public spaces outdoors, or in Council buildings.
We often receive Freedom of Information (FOI) requests about the art collection. Please note that Cornwall Council has not sold any artworks from the collections since the Council was established on 1st April 2009. We estimate that the collections are currently worth £4.4m in total. We do not make valuations of individual artworks public due to security reasons.
Find out more about oil paintings that are in public ownership throughout the UK by visiting the Art UK website.
In 2019, the Creative, Health and Wellbeing Partnership was created. This was commissioned by the Culture and Creative Partnerships team and Public Health teams of Cornwall Council.
Arts Well is a Cornish social enterprise. They champion culture and creativity in helping health and wellbeing. They helped establishing the Partnership in January 2020.
Specific aims
- Add to the development of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.
- Develop the skills, knowledge and resources of the sector. Sector workers can get involved in local health and wellbeing priorities.
- Look for opportunities to improve local practice and lever in more investment.
- Develop and oversee delivery of a Partnership Action Plan.
- Make sure the sector is connected. This is to inform and improve creative health and wellbeing policy and practice.
- Encourage improved creative health and wellbeing programmes and activities.
The Museum of Carefree project provides a cultural programme for care-experienced young people in Cornwall. It aims to give care-experienced young people in Cornwall the confidence to tell their stories and value their role in their communities. It will build confidence in the adults who support care-experienced young people to visit museums and understand art and culture’s role in supporting the development of young people.
The project will also expand the reach of the Culture Card™ scheme. Culture Card gives free access to cultural places to young people who are care experienced, plus a guest.
The project was supported by Cornwall Museums Partnership working in partnership with Carefree and is supported by Cornwall Council investment.
There are over 70 museums in Cornwall. Museums are an important part of Cornwall’s cultural offer. There are lots of ways to enjoy museums like making a visit or becoming a volunteer. They also do lots of work with schools and community groups.
We support museums by investing in the Museum Development Officer role, which supports museums across Cornwall. Cornwall's Museum Development Officer is supported by South West Museum Federation, it provides a range of specialist support:
- support in fundraising and income generation
- a professional advisory service for museum staff and volunteers
- a range of training and events.
The following strategies are relevant for the museums sector in Cornwall:
We have a management agreement in place with The Museum of Cornish Life. We also invest in three heritage organisations through the Culture and Creative Investment Programme:
Royal Cornwall Museum looks after the Council's Schools Art Collection for us. You can find out more on the above Art Collections at Cornwall Council section.
The Cornish are a national minority and Cornwall has its own language. They are both recognised officially by the UK Government.
It is the only national minority and native UK language without a media service. Today, these are both under represented by public service broadcasters (PSB).
In 2019 Falmouth University looked at:
- How PSBs work in other parts of the UK and abroad
- The current digital media capacity and infrastructure in Cornwall
For further information please read the following documents:
Cornwall Council supports Screen Cornwall. It is part of our commitment to ensure our creative industries in Cornwall can thrive.
Screen Cornwall’s vision is to grow Cornwall’s screen sector. This organisation helps individuals and other organisations who work in film, cinema, TV, gaming and more. They want creative production and local talent to flourish. They work with skilled professionals as well as emerging talent.
The Cornish Language Office works with Screen Cornwall on FylmK. FylmK is an annual award that celebrates and promotes films using the Cornish language.
Cornwall Council leads the Cornish language programme. It has also established the Cornish Language Office. The Cornish Language Office is responsible for:
- increasing the use of Cornish in the work of the Council
- giving advice to organisations who want to use Cornish
- coordinating projects in the community, such as Cornish Distinctiveness Projects
The Workshed provides flexible units and collaborative workspace for businesses focused on the digital and creative industries. Details on the units that are available let can be viewed at Vickery Holman.
The Workshed is part of a wider project, redeveloping Liskeard Cattle Market.
Delivered in Partnership with Falmouth University this research project sought to understand the role that creative hubs play in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The project was funded through Research England’s Strategic Priorities Fund. Explore further details and the full report on the Falmouth University website.
