Introduction to Newlyn Art Gallery, Newlyn and the Exchange, Penzance

Newlyn is a small town immediately adjacent to Penzance and the two have grown together and are linked by the bay they are shaped around.  The two galleries are run together and are separated by about 2km's.  It would be a pleasant walk along the seafront from Newlyn and then cutting uphill towards the centre of Penzance, as long as the weather was good.  You can also easily catch a bus.

Newlyn Art Gallery is a small old granite building with a modern extension to the rear, facing the sea.  The old entrance leads from the street up some steps to an arched door, slightly below the level of the first floor.  The current entrance is down the right hand side of the building in the modern extension on the ground floor.  This room is glass sided and is a stylish and welcoming space with the ticket desk and shop displays.  There is a glass door that leads into a lovely shaded little tea room garden.

A corridor leads into the older part of the building and from here you can access the two ground floor exhibition rooms and the stairs to the first floor.  The Lower Gallery is the larger of the two exhibition rooms on the ground floor.  It has no windows and the walls are dark.  It contrasts with the smaller Picture Room which is flooded with light from the front of the building with white walls.

Upstairs and a corridor leads the length of the building, with a door to the main exhibition space.  This a lovely space with a high ceiling and a lantern window that floods the space with light, although I imagine they can also close it off in some way if required.  Back in the corridor, there is space for some small displays before you continue into a glass link area before you enter the studio.  The studio benefits from a stunning view out to sea and is where many of the events are held at the gallery.

In Penzance, the Exchange is a much more modern building on a side street near the main shopping road, Market Jew Street.  It is glass fronted but there are slats of frosted glass at 90 degrees all along the glass window which limits visibility, and must give some shade too.  At night, each of these slats can be lit up in a different colour.  Inside there is another welcoming reception area.

On the right-hand side of the building there is a short set of steps to the left into the exhibition area and to the right, next to the glass window is a ramp also used for smaller exhibitions.  Beyond there is a cafe you can access from both the ramp and the gallery.

The main gallery was divided in to two spaces when I visited, both quite dark.  The first was open and high ceilinged, while the second was exceptionally dark and showing a film.

It costs £8 for an annual pass that gives access to both sites, so it is very good value, despite it's small size. If you live in Penwith you can get an annual pass for £5.  If you have an Art Card, a single visit will cost £4.  The galleries are open from Tuesday through to Saturday from 10.00 till 16.00.

Beyond this though, the galleries have a very full calendar of events, that is ever changing and often linked to current exhibitions.  For instance, events around Abigail Reynold's walking a Cappella exhibition included a poetry club, a film screening that included other films by Abigail and a discussion, a conversation between Abigail and another author Joanna Kavenna, a glass workshop, children's workshop and an electronic dance music night.  

They also offer events and activities outside of the galleries.  A few times a year they offer walks around Newlyn by the art gallery director James Green and Kathy Hill who has lived in Newlyn a long time.  This should definitely be booked in advance.  They also offer a map online to guide those walking between the two galleries.  There is also an installation of sculptures evoking the lost forest of Mounts Bay along the coastal path between Penzance and Marazion.  This series of installations is called Gwelen and there is an accompanying book online along with a series of audio clips.

I think it is clear that the gallery seeks to ensure it is part of the local community.  Maybe it's because of the small size of the space they have available but they seem to be very creative in the ways they achieve this.  Their impact feels unlimited by size.  They have a regularly changing calendar of events and I look forward to returning.