Cornucopia of colour and creativity as Cornwall Open Studios 2026 commences

From Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May, 322 artists and makers from across the county will welcome visitors into their studios and workshops to experience the cornucopia of colour and creativity that is Cornwall Open Studios.

In hidden hamlets, verdant villages and coastal communities – from Mousehole to Mawnan Smith and Tintagel to Torpoint – Cornwall’s creatives will showcase their skills, share their stories and exhibit artistic practice in all its forms.

Painters, potters, printmakers and photographers will join forces with carvers and calligraphers, felters and furniture-makers, sculptors and silversmiths, woodturners and weavers to provide a plethora of visual perspectives as they each respond to the interplay between land, sea and sky, and the ever-changing palette of the seasons to capture the essence of Cornwall’s wild beauty and the place they call home.

From clay and cold wax to pastels and plastic; from handspun yarn and locally-sourced hardwood to silver and sea glass, materials are moulded and manipulated, stitched, etched and stretched to extend the frontiers of artistic alchemy.

Scrapyard automata, serpentine sculpture, soda-fired porcelain and silk seascapes contrast with contemporary impressionism, portraiture and plein air depictions in this homage to Cornwall’s creative community.

Colour, shape, pattern and texture collide to create connections, conjure memories, echo heritage, pique curiosity and inspire reflection in studio spaces that are as diverse as the landscape they inhabit.

Whether you lean into the abstract or the figurative, the decorative or the digital, the picturesque or the philosophical, Cornwall Open Studios offers a deep dive into secret worlds; rare, behind-the-scenes glimpses into individual, creative processes, and the chance to purchase original artwork at source.

This event not only celebrates Cornwall’s rich cultural heritage but also provides year-round support for the artists and makers who transform the duchy into a dynamic destination for seasoned collectors, art lovers and cultural tourists alike.

“In this, our second year of Cornwall Open Studios, we are delighted to have increased the number of participants and broadened the range of disciplines by adding furniture restoration, performance and floral art to the mix,” explained Founder of Cornwall Open Studios, Jeremy Sanders.

“We are also seeing the emergence of more, permanent creative hubs with The Levels at Newquay, Whites Old Workshops at St Ives and Trevelloe Farm at Lamorna now joining established arts clusters at Krowji, Trewidden Gardens and around the Helford River. 

“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the participants, businesses and venues that have supported this artist-led initiative, including The Moving Company and Seymac Distribution for delivering our printed guides from Penzance to Polperro. We hope that visitors will be inspired by the artists and makers they encounter, and enjoy exploring creative Cornwall.”

Free demonstrations and workshops will also take place during the event.

Personalised art trails can be created by using the Cornwall Open Studios website, where artists can be searched by location, discipline or number of opening days. A printed guide to aid the exploration of studios and workshops throughout the county is also widely available.

cornwallopenstudios.co.uk