Art matters: Vote for the arts - that was the message of activists who staged a march through Redruth yesterday to protest about the government’s cuts to arts funding.

The march started in the old Butter Market, moving along Station Road and Fore Street, before pausing outside the Regal Cinema where it was addressed by Paul Farmer, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.

Speaking before the march, organiser Rufus Maurice said: “I organised this march because I’m aware of the huge number of self-employed people in Cornwall who are working in the arts that are living in impoverished conditions.

"They feel that their voices cannot be heard because so much has gone wrong in our society over the last nine years of this Conservative government."

Paul added: “We need to turn this country into a creative environment where we can all grow, all thrive, and all make a living doing what we love, communicating who we are, what we value and what we believe is right."