Local Makers and Artists to Check Out in Falmouth
Cornwall, and Falmouth in particular, is a hub for creativity, arts and crafts. We’ve put together a guide to the best places to browse and buy local artisan products in the local area…
The Poly
Located on Falmouth’s high street, ‘The Poly’ is the old polytechnic arts college which today houses a theatre and film space, cafe, gallery and shop. The Guild Shop showcases some of the finest local makers in the area, founded in 2015 with the aim of ‘championing the work of our local creative community of makers and craftspeople.’ You can find handpicked ceramics, prints, textiles, jewellery and more, all with a link to Cornwall.
Across the hallway in the gallery and exhibition space, you can find an ever-changing collection of artisan work. This summer some shows include the ‘Secret Postcard Exhibition’, ‘What Comes to Light’ by Helen Leaver and ‘Riparian’ by the Helford Artists.
Morgans
New on the scene in November 2019, this beautiful building has been redesigned using local craftspeople to provide gallery space and artist studios.
Morgans exhibits a wide range of creative disciplines and encourages young and emerging talent alongside well established artists. A typical exhibition has a mix of painters, ceramicists and makers with roots in Cornwall: “some once studied at the School of Art or worked on a residency at Porthmeor, while others have set-up studio here along the coast.”
They also have an art-buying catalogue which you can view ahead of time online.
Inspire Makers
A collective hub at the top of the Old High Street in Falmouth, Inspire Makers is a platform and showcase for over 60 Cornish design-led makers and craftspeople. There is a wide range of affordable work from both well-known and emerging creatives, across handmade jewellery, artisan crafts, ceramics, textiles, wall art, stationery, and homewares.
They also hold regular jewellery making workshops if you fancy having a go yourself! Whether you’d like to make a sea-glass pendant or silver stacking rings, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Beside The Wave
A beautiful gallery on the high street in Falmouth, Beside The Wave is one of Cornwall’s most well known and recognised contemporary art galleries. It first opened in 1989 and has since grown an international following of collectors. The work shown here ranges from paintings and prints to ceramics and jewellery – with a range of pricing and finance options if you’re looking for a special investment piece!
Speaking about their collection, they say: ‘Art works are predominantly rooted in the landscape; Cornwall’s rich coast, countryside, towns and villages providing the inspiration for much of the work that we show. In addition, a number of our artists focus on paintings of place in a wider sense, including interiors and still lifes.’
Sailor’s Jail Gallery
A quirky, hidden art gallery in the heart of Falmouth, the Sailor’s Jail would be easy to miss if you weren’t looking out for it! Housed within the original sailors’ jail (from around 1666) they describe themselves as a ‘raw and authentic creative space’, showcasing work from local artists, students & alumni.
This is a wonderful place to browse unique, affordable artwork, including original drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture and jewellery. With a gallery, shop and creative space, this is another location where you can have a go yourselves, taking part in a workshop. (For latest dates and times check on their website.)
Venturing just a little out of Falmouth to the town of Penryn (which many holiday cottage visitors will drive through on their way from Mylor and Flushing to Falmouth) are a further collection of creative galleries and spaces showcasing the work of local artists, craftspeople and makers…
The Terrace Gallery
A small but perfectly formed independent space on Penryn’s high street, the Terrace Gallery holds monthly exhibitions by local artists, and stocks gifts from talented makers. As well as visual artists and craftspeople, the gallery also started a campaign to support local authors and book illustrators, ‘filling an essential gap in the demand for local books by local authors.’
Their book collection now includes non-fiction art and photography, memoirs, walking guides, thrillers, romance, mystery, short story collections and children’s books. All by local writers!
The Fish Factory
A community arts venue with a very colourful exterior on Commercial Road in Penryn! The Fish Factory includes artist work spaces, a gallery, a vegan café, an event space and a music shop. The style is quirky and unusual, existing outside of the mainstream!
Their gallery is a contemporary space which displays a rolling programme of exhibitions curated by the in-house team and the local arts community. Upcoming events include paper mache workshops, artist-in-residence exhibitions, film screenings and writing workshops.
As always, we love to hear your recommendations if you’ve visited somewhere that you think other holiday cottage guests would love. Send us an email or tag us in your social media posts:
martin@creeksidecottages.co.uk
@creeksidecottages
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