Business name: Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange
Office location: Penzance and Newlyn
Business founded: Newlyn Art Gallery was founded in 1895 and The Exchange opened in 2007
Number of employees: We have a team of 14 staff and around 40 volunteers
Business Cornwall: How is the business best described?
We are a contemporary visual arts organisation, offering a wide and varied exhibition programme across our two sites, and beyond, presenting contemporary work in all media. Our programming includes visual art exhibitions, workshops, and talks, with a strong emphasis on community engagement and education. Together, Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange showcase a wide range of contemporary practices, including painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation art. The gallery has become a vital platform for emerging and mid-career artists, often featuring bold and thought-provoking exhibitions.
Business Cornwall: Why was the business founded?
Newlyn Art Gallery opened in 1895 as a result of the support of the Le Grice family, who gifted the land, and the philanthropist John Passmore Edwards. It was originally founded to support the artists associated with the Newlyn School, a group of painters. Over time, it developed into a contemporary gallery with a focus on innovative and challenging art. After presenting contemporary art here for more than 110 years, in 2007 we redeveloped the existing Newlyn site and acquired Penzance’s former telephone exchange, close to the town centre. This enabled us to expand our programme ambitions, providing new space to better reflect the diversity of current artists’ practice in Cornwall, the UK and internationally.
Business Cornwall: How does the business compare to competitors in the industry?
Our buildings and spaces are just means to an end. Inspired by the principles of John Passmore Edwards, our real focus, informed by the experience of the last three years, is on the change we can make for the communities we serve.
Business Cornwall: What are the business’s plans both short-term and long-term?
Over the next few years, we will deliver a programme that builds on the acknowledged successes of our recent work, focussing on hyper-local impacts, often made possible through national and international partnerships.
We also need to expand our existing work with communities that have limited physical access to contemporary art, such as our Think, Talk, Make Art programme on the Isles of Scilly, or are isolated in their own homes, with Tea, Cake & Art. Our new digital expertise and capacity will be key to achieving this.
We all share a human appetite for creativity, and post-pandemic, more people value the arts as an enriching part of their lives.
Business Cornwall: How does the business define success?
Building on our previous successes, will mean communities not previously engaged with the arts will feel ownership of the gallery and part of our team. Most importantly, our work will be relevant to the lives of a much broader cross-section of people, providing material support and enriching lives. We will have continually challenged ourselves to think and act differently, to achieve this goal.
