The origins of OURTOWNpz
In June 2018 Penzance Town Council held an Extraordinary Meeting to address social problems in the centre of Penzance. The meeting revealed deep unhappiness and anger within the various communities.
In response to this event I founded OURTOWNpz and worked with my friend and fellow artist Dan Pyne to develop a series of drypoint printmaking workshops aimed at encouraging different community groups to express their affection for the town.
Who were the OURTOWNpz workshops for?
There were three community groups that we worked with:
Group 1: 30 vulnerable/homeless guests of StreetfoodPZ
Group 2: 30 traders/shop owners based in central Penzance
Group 3: 30 Children/young adults who were members of the Trelya project, an organisation providing services for families facing poverty and poverty associated challenges.
How the OURTOWNpz workshops worked
The workshops were held In the main hall at St Johns Town Hall and the Trelya Project with each group receiving a series of three workshops, each for ten participants lasting two hours
The workshops took place between February and September 2019 and an exhibition of the work from all three drypoint printmaking workshops was held at the Exchange Gallery in Penzance.
The work was mixed together with just the name of the artist and the name of the artwork underneath…a level playing field. A private view was held with all participants invited and the exhibition was shown for one month.
OURTOWNpz funding and partners
The OURTOWNpz project received help and funding from Feast Cornwall, Cornwall Council, Penzance Bid, Penzance Town Council and the Newlyn/Exchange Gallery. It was also supported by Arts Council England, Trelya and The Streetfood Project.
