About
The shop at The Exchange, photo by Abbey Rumbellow
Photo by Abbey Rumbellow
Photo by Abbey Rumbellow
Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange offers a wide and varied exhibition programme across our two sites, and beyond, presenting contemporary work in all media, and actively supports the creativity and wellbeing of our wider community.
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. 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. Read more about our recent track record in access and excellence in creativity and culture.
But 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. We have exciting plans to build on all we learnt. Find out more here.
Like Passmore Edwards, we believe that art can change lives for the better and are committed to exploring the role of artists and arts organisations in addressing today’s great social challenges and environmental realities, in ways that measurably improve lives across our communities.
In recent years, our work in this area has made great strides. The Covid pandemic led us to adapt our work to address the urgent needs of local and, on occasions, global communities, embracing digital technologies like never before and drawing on our extensive networks with national organisations, from the Arts Council Collection to the National Portrait Gallery, and local partners including Newlyn School, Mounts Bay Academy, Intercom Trust, WILD Young Parents Project, and social prescribing networks.
Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange is an educational arts charity, an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, and a Cornwall Council Strategic Arts Client. It is also a founding member of Plus Tate, a network of leading visual arts organisations across the UK that works to increase public value and to broaden and deepen engagement in art. Map of Plus Tate partners
