Cornwall's scenery changes every couple of miles, from upland heath to wooded river valley, from fishing cottage-dotted fishing coves to windtorn cliffs.
Cornwall's towns and villages each have their own distinct characters to, from the moonscapes of clay spoil that characterise the area around St Austell to the tightly packed streets and houses of Lostwithiel.
Civic pride is important in Cornwall. Where you come from is who you are, and two Cousin Jacks at the bottom of a quicksilver mine in California 150 years ago could still come to blows because one was born in Camborne and the other a few miles away in Redruth (of course if anyone who wasn't Cornish wanted a dig they would be faced with a pair of inseparable opponents).
Nicola Robey investigates the worrying closures of Cornwall’s arts venues
After many years as a local creative venue, the Acorn Arts Centre closes this August
Falmouth’s The Poly has been given the chance of new life thanks to the Save Our Poly campaign
This summer witnesses an uneasy time for small arts centres in Cornwall. News of the Poly in Falmouth’s struggling predicament, the announcement of the Acorn’s imminent closure at the end of August alongside the more recent news of the Melting Pot in Redruth’s financial hardship, all signal the threat posed to alternative venues within the precarious economic climate. The disappearance of such spaces could potentially see Cornwall as the only location without the presence of communal artistic sites, a seemingly paradoxical notion considering its depiction as a haven for artists and their catalyst for creativity.
Their closure does not only culminate in the loss of multiple jobs; the repercussions of their absence is bound to have a detrimental effect upon the needs of the community. Over the years the Acorn has presented an exciting array of acclaimed and highly talented performers, such as musician Johnny Flynn, productions from Miracle Theatre and various locally devised performances. It also houses a number of community based projects, perhaps most notably the Shallal dance group whose aim is ‘providing a performance space for anyone in the community, regardless of sexuality, gender, race, age, physical, mental, and emotional status.’
Callum Mitchell, poet, performer and an active supporter of the Acorn, states that its loss would ‘be a huge shame for both the public, performers of Penzance and the surrounding creative community’, and this absence can only result in harbouring a negative effect for those who rely and enjoy the diverse variety of artistic and creative opportunities and talent that such venues can provide.
The lack of government funding for community reliant venues rests at the heart of this issue. Brought to the forefront of the argument is the fact that the only theatre to receive ACE support in the county is the Hall for Cornwall; this privilege could potentially be seen to leave smaller venues out in the cold, surviving through the relentless determination of employees and volunteers who must operate on a solely hand to mouth existence.
However, it is not all doom and gloom. Ciaran Clarke, newly elected and freshly graduated member of the Save Our Poly Campaign, fervently states that ‘it’s far from over’. The reinvigoration of the Poly’s board of trustees sees the vibrant re-evaluation of its objectives for the future, which with the imminent mergence of Falmouth University with Dartington College of Arts will respond to the growing community’s needs through the dedication and goodwill of its volunteers.
Yet it falls to the community to ensure their safety from the jaws of financial ruin, Ben Read, owner of the Melting Pot comments that ‘if the local community want these venues to exist, then they need to support them through usage and potentially offering time, energy and skills to them.’ The issues arising for these venues cannot solely rest on the administering of public sector money to survive and indeed throwing money at the problem would not encourage change, instead it is only down to the dynamism and initiative of each centre’s willingness to explore new avenues of gaining revenue and most importantly the support of the local community that can ensure the longevity of such valuable sites in our towns.
Visit the Melting Pot café at Krowji, West Park, Redruth TR15 3AJ
www.themeltingpotonline.co.uk
The Poly is located at 24 Church Street, Falmouth TR11 3EG
www.thepoly.org
The Acorn Arts Centre will close at the end of August but has a number of shows running until then. Visit before it’s too late at Parade Street, Penzance TR18 4BU
