As Cornwall springs back to life post-Covid, Porthleven – the small, but perfectly formed place famed for its food festival, balls and other must-attend events – is unveiling its first ever arts festival.

With more than 60 events there is something for everyone, with exhibitions, art, workshops, music, poetry, performance taking place at venues across Porthleven from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 3 October. It’s about community, about participation and, most importantly, about celebrating art in all its many and diverse forms

There will be Salty Sisters swimming, music from sea shanties to the blues via a delightful programme of classical music in St Bartholemew’s church and poetry performed and to reflect upon, including a tribute event for the late Nick Hardcastle and a spoken word performance by Megan Chapman.

The Shipyard Market will act as a workshops hub, inspiring visitors to create not just artwork (although many may be motivated by the Sip & Sketch events) but a raft of items to make and take home including garlands, bottle-art, tote bags and paper palms.

The market will also host an Elements and Elementals exhibition on its art wall and with the help of festivalgoers, Cornish-based community Artist Silvia Causo-Garbutt will be creating a Porthleven community paper cranes of Hope installation from coloured origami cranes.

Children of all ages get a big shout-out with inspirational art and writing workshops, a skate jam, and the urban playground team’s amazing parkour performance about climate change on the closing weekend. Mermaid Day on Saturday October 2nd will feature mermaid meet and greets and storytelling in the morning and a mass swim out of around 20 merfolk in the harbour at 3pm.

Films showing in Breageside Net Loft include the local premiere of Son of Cornwall, the story of Porthleven-born world-famous tenor John Treleaven, and of a short film made by Porthleven’s Salty Sisters swimming group. There’s also a screening of BAIT, the award-winning film set and made in Cornwall about a fisherman without his boat, as well as local interest films.

Bath Spa University and Falmouth University are hosting Sea Change, an evening of short talks on the wonder and perils of marine life and environmental futures, with bestselling author Philip Hoare.

Wander around Porthleven and discover events in unexpected spaces, from the new Crow’s Nest (a great new take on the traditional bandstand) to the iconic Bickford Smith Institute where Porthleven-based found things artist Paul Williams will create an exhibit as well as refreshing the exhibition in his Wreckers’ Studio yard on Loe Bar Road.

Visit the art mural wall being created at The Atlantic Inn and don’t forget the smallest venue: the old BT phone box on the Harbour Head where Nick Hardcastle’s poems can be heard through a vintage telephone.

The festival has been created by Porthleven Arts Community, a Community Interest Company supporting artists, innovators and creatives. Its credo is that everyone should be able to experience and create art. By weaving creativity into the fabric of its community it encourages everyone to get involved in and inspired by art in some way.

Many events are free or donation-only. Funds will go to Porthleven Arts CIC, to ensure that the festival becomes an annual event and that they can support more art projects in Porthleven.

Membership of Porthleven Arts Community is free. Find our more and get involved at: www.porthlevenarts.com where you can also download a pdf programme.