NEW! ART EXHIBITION: Scene Change, LSG Rock, until October

The Lemon Street Gallery (previously Truro)’s exciting new space just outside Rock, on the Camel Estuary, is the perfect place to open their vibrant and eclectic new group exhibition, Scene Change, featuring work from both up and coming and established British artists.

NEW! ART EXHIBITION: Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Jonathan Michael Ray, Tate St Ives

This new exhibition explores the works of two artists connected with West Cornwall. While separated by time, as well as the media and form their works take, both artists draw inspiration from the local landscape, exploring the idea that there is more to experience in nature than can be found on the surface.

NEW! ART EXHIBITION: Escapism, Nina Brooke, North Coast Asylum, Newquay, 1 June – 30 July

Nina’s latest solo exhibition records a year of painting in Cornwall as well as further afield, in her signature coastal style including her largest ever work.

NEW! ART EXHIBITION: Ad Minoliti, Tate St Ives, until October

Artist Ad Minoliti draws on the rich legacy of geometric abstraction in Latin America and presents alternative universes influenced by feminist and queer thought. The exhibition will also feature Minoliti’s ongoing project The Feminist School of Painting, transforming part of the gallery space into an active classroom. Booking recommended, free for members and locals pass holders.

MUSIC: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Eden Sessions, Eden Project, 15 June

This will be Noel’s second appearance at Eden, following a landmark show with Oasis in 2009. He was the main songwriter, lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist for what became one of the biggest bands ever to emerge from the UK.

EVENT: 4 day working week round table hosted Whyfield, Vertigo, Truro, 16 June

Join Whyfield for drinks and nibbles at Vertigo, Truro, to discuss the amazing benefits and potential hurdles of moving to a four-day work week. The team will be joined by Trevor from Portcullis Legals, who in 2019 switched the entire workforce to a four-day week – one of a handful of companies across the globe to do so. Trevor will be speaking about his experience with the four-day work week as well as giving advice on the legal and financial side to making this change. Laura, MD and founder of Whyfield, will be touching on her own experience with introducing the four-day week to Whyfield; the journey, and how she’s finding it a month since it was implemented. RSVP here.

MUSIC: Nine Inch Nails, The Eden Sessions, Eden Project, 17 – 18 June

In what promises to be one of the live highlights of the year, Nine Inch Nails have announced their first UK headline dates in four years. Known for their mesmerising shows, the band will play two very special Eden Sessions on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 June 2022.

MUSIC: Pete Tong and The Heritage Orchestra, The Wyldes, 17 June

If Ibiza was more your scene then this show is a must see – for ravers, party animals and everyone who ever saw Ibiza as their Mecca, an irresistible combination of the UK’s most influential DJ with a 65 piece orchestra, a spectacular visual show with lasers and the biggest party anthems, all at The Wyldes near Bude.

ARTS: Penzance Arts Festival, 3 – 19 June

Celebrate Penzance as one of the most vibrant and innovative artistic towns in the country with exhibitions and events relating to 1000 of its local artists with creative art exhibitions, workshops, pop up galleries, talks and lectures and its famous Art Trail..

Many of the town’s museums, galleries and art communities are taking part including the EXCHANGE, Penlee House, Newlyn Art Gallery, Morrab Library, The Newlyn School of Art, Newlyn Society of Artists, Penzance Studios, Newlyn Filmhouse, Space for you and the Arts Society of West Cornwall.

NEW! ART EXHIBITION: Jim Moir / Vic Reeves – The Lord of the Radiant Garden, Cornwall Contemporary Gallery, Penzance, 3 – 30 June

Jim Moir, otherwise known as the comedian, actor and author Vic Reeves is heading to the Cornwall Contemporary gallery for his first ever solo exhibition of paintings and sculpture in Cornwall. Widely celebrated for his irreverent wit, glorious eccentricity and tremendous creativity, Jim attended the Sir John Cass Art School in London at the age of 22 before becoming a household name in British comedy. The anarchy and wonderful nonconformity for which he is synonymous, is evident in his bold, vibrant and often surreal artworks which merge his interest in the natural world, pop culture and celebrity with his constantly creative imagination.

CULTURAL EVENT: Golowan & Mazey Day, Penzance, 17 – 26 June

Penzance really knows how to throw a street party and Golowan is the traditional celebration of midsummer, marked with music, serpent dances, fairs, greenery and banners. Expect fireworks on Mazey Eve or bring the family to Mazey Day to see the parade of incredible, giant sculptures.

MUSIC: Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, 17 – 19 June

After last year’s online virtual festival, everyone is looking forward to the usual weekend of performances by shanty groups from across the UK, Brittany and beyond including Cornwall’s own groups including The Fishermen’s Friends, filling up pubs and stages across the town with often free performances.

FESTIVAL: 3 Wishes Fairy Festival, Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, 17 – 19 June

Family-friendly fairy festival with daily optional fancy dress themes featuring more magic than you can shake a fairy wand at. Find the Faerie Garden, village and market, workshops and a circus, plus music, and camping under the stars.

NAUTICAL: Falmouth Classics Week, 17 – 19 June

Nominally a sailing regatta for classic boats (yours truly has raced in it) but also lots of fun to be had at the accompanying events, as well as watching the parade of sail. Since it began, in 1987, Falmouth Classics has steadily grown to be one of the largest Classic sailing events in the UK.

FESTIVAL: ‘Mini’ LostFest, Lostwithiel, 18 June

LostFest is usually a quirky one day free festival in Lostwithiel with something for everyone and this year is a pared back ‘mini’ version with no street performers.

THEATRE: The Firework Maker’s Daughter, The Minack, 21 June – 2 July

MUSIC FESTIVAL: Tunes in the Dunes, Perranporth, 24 – 26 June

The UK’s biggest festival on a beach held on the white sands of Perranporth returns to its usual June weekend for 2022. Shaggy, The Kooks and Paul Weller headline, many many more acts, plus silent discos, and my personal favourite covers band ‘Elvana’ – that’s Elvis fronted Nirvana (if you haven’t yet experienced the joy of watching a jumpsuited Elvis-like figure belting out Smells Like Teen Spirit you’re in for a treat).

ART EXHIBITION: Mermaids’ Tears, Jackson Foundation Gallery, St Just, ends 13 August

Mermaids’ Tears charts Kurt Jackson’s campaigning work to address the blight of plastic in the ocean, and draws attention to the resin pellets or nurdles from plastic manufacturing (colloquially known as mermaids’ tears) that pollute the environment.

EXHIBITION: Shackleton’s Legacy and the Power of Early Antarctic Photography, The Shipwreck Museum, Charlestown, ends October 2022

The Shipwreck Museum in Charlestown has teamed up with the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) to present an exhibition that celebrates a pioneer of polar exploration, Sir Ernest Shackleton. This year marks the centenary of Shackleton’s death in 1922 during the Quest expedition to Antarctica, and is super timely given that the wreck of his ship Endurance has been found 107 years after it became trapped in sea ice and sank off the coast of Antarctica. The explorer’s legacy, extraordinary expeditions and the power of early Antarctic photography will take centre stage at Charlestown’s Shipwreck Treasure Museum from 9 April and is included with entry.

TOO LATE… JUST MISSED

NEW! ART EXHIBITION: Veg Et Alia, William Arnold, Grays Wharf, Penryn, 1 – 4 June

Artist William Arnold will be bringing together multiple strands of several years of practice, alongside works in progress that are specifically concerned with plant-human interactions. Typologies of overlooked flora, fractal landscapes of leaves and plans for an ephemeral sun monument… the works interrogate the value judgments we make regarding plant-life and our deep entanglements with the vegetal.

HALF TERM: Various events across Cornwall, ends 5 June

Will the region’s children be bored senseless, running circles around the kitchen table? Not on our watch! We’ve got exhibitions, music, and fun galore for teens and tots alike – check out our special kids guide here.

FESTIVAL: The Great Estate Festival, Scorrier, 2 – 5 June

“The most rambunctious Garden Fête!” Expect major international headline acts (Craig Charles and DJ Yoda have already been announced) and a mix of comedy, theatre, music and the arts, all within the beautiful grounds of Scorrier Estate, back on the usual weekend in June after last year’s rescheduling to August. Look out for the vintage fairground, woodland silent disco, secret gin garden, The Whispering Woods, burlesque sessions, Madame Wong’s House of Wrong, classical corner, glamping, hot tubs, The Sanctuary and the Swamp Circus and much more.

CULTURAL EVENT: Platinum Jubilee Weekend, 2 – 5 Jun

Four days of partying you say? That calls for our mega-guide to Her Madge’s remarkable anniversary. There’s something for everyone in our curated guide to the Platinum Jubilee. Read on and make it a royally memorable weekend.

MUSIC: Skybar, Watergate Bay 3 – 5 June

Skybar’s aprés-sea club nights are back on the cliffs of Watergate Bay, overlooking the beach below. Six bars, street food, DJ’s and live music.

ART: Cornwall Open Studios, various locations across Cornwall, ends 5 June

There are many galleries large and small across Cornwall, where you can see the work of local artists but during this special event, almost 300 Cornish-based artists will open their studios to visitors. Some of these artists may not show in Cornwall at all, giving a unique chance to see their work in their workspace and to meet and talk with working artists around the county. Many artists are also offering workshops throughout the week and if you are looking to buy a piece of art, this is a great opportunity to see a range of work or possibly commission something. Participating studios will display an orange ‘O’ outside, so you know you are welcome to pop in and say hi, though opening times vary, so check the catalogue before making a special visit.

THEATRE: Jane Eyre, The Minack, until 9 June

Polly Teale’s bold and exciting retelling of Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel is a bold and exciting retelling of Jane’s struggle for freedom against all odds. Originally produced by experimental theatre company, Shared Experience, returning from AWT’s Hamlet are Rebecca Pickering (Ophelia) in the title roleand Dan Avery (Hamlet) as Rochester.

EVENT: The Sustainability Series, English Wines, Wild Wine School, 9 June

Join Debbie from Wild Wine School, Liz Mumcuoglu of Trevibban Mill, David Brocklehurst of Knightor Winery, Mike Boyne of Bin Two and MC Ruth Spivey for the second in the Sustainable Series to discuss the impact global warming has made on the English wine industry and the benefits of drinking local. £15 includes a glass of English wine.

EVENT: Royal Cornwall Show, Wadebridge, 9 – 11 June

The big one in the country calendar, the Royal Cornwall Show has been hosted for more than two centuries, and the inset days of the summer term are timed round it, and after being postponed in 2020 and 2021, everyone is looking forward to the return. As you’d expect from a traditional country show there are animals, entertainment, a flower show, and competition classes of all kinds, plus a visit from HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall on the Friday.

Tate Image Credits:

Ad Minoliti Biosfera Peluche / Biosphere Plush installed at Tate St Ives, 2022. Photo © Tate (Joe Humphrys & Lucy Dawkins)

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Jonathan Michael Ray installed at Tate St Ives, 2022 © Tate (Lucy Dawkins & Joe Humphrys)

Fabulous things to do locally this June

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