VISITORS from all over the country came to Newlyn Arts Festival last week as organisers paid tribute to the growing credibility of the town's art scene.
Long famed for the emergence of the Newlyn School in the 1880s, Newlyn's arts festival has attracted interest since it begun four years ago.
However, having witnessed interest in the festival blossom this year in particular, organisers paid tribute to the standing of local artists.
Artist and organiser Annie Metcalf said: "The festival this year has been absolutely brilliant. We get a lot of new visitors come down from up-country. It's growing each year. Some people used to come down for the reputation of the Newlyn School but now they are taking a keen interest in the art.
"A lot of the artists have begun to establish credibility. The added interest keeps putting us on the map."
The arts festival was officially opened on Friday by Michael Eavis.
In an impromptu speech, the founder of Glastonbury paid tribute to the festival, saying it was an honour to open it. Elsewhere, the open studios dotted around Newlyn proved immensely popular, with the new addition of a studio at the Copperworks attracting visitors in their droves.
Art students from Penwith College set up in the historical Orchard Gardens creating work inspired by the theme 'Cornish life'.
Simon Hartles, head of vocational art and design at the college, explained that due to the festival starting earlier this year, students had less than a week to devise their ideas.
Challenge
"They rose to the challenge by using many found, discarded and recycled objects and materials in their installations," he said.
The pieces on show ranged from Amy Nankervis-Smith's Lighthouse On High to Abby Smith's Crab On The Line.
Beth Gregory and Clea Griffiths also decorated a tree, using a black and white Cornish theme in a piece entitled Psychedelic Portal World.
Newlyn Arts Festival will run until this Saturday. Banksy film Exit Through The Gift Shop is showing at Newlyn Art Gallery tonight between 7pm and 9pm.
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN