St Ives September Festival

What’s it all about?

Started in 1978, the festival lasts for fifteen days offering a wide range of music, arts and literature events in locations throughout St Ives, attracting visitors from far and wide.

What happens?

With a full programme of exhibitions, concerts, poetry, walks, talks, workshops, comedy, theatre, plays, stories and film, you can expect a varied mix of performers and artists on the guest list which in the past have included Barbara Dickson, Seth Lakeman, George Melly and Elkie Brooks. There are lots of free entry art exhibitions along with dancers, musicians, shanty crews and performers who entertain in the town’s streets and pubs. Locally themed plays and musical shows are put on in the local theatre, walking tours taking in the area’s history take place throughout the festival and there are drop in art classes led by professional artists in mediums such as textiles and life drawing.

How can you take part?

St Ives provides the perfect backdrop to this well established festival that has simply dozens of events for visitors to enjoy. The numerous art classes are a great way to learn something new from some of the country’s leading artists, an eclectic mix of live music from some of the UK’s top singers and bands along with upcoming comedians will keep you entertained, the art talks at the Leach Pottery and Hepworth Gardens give a real insight to St Ives as one of the world’s leading centres for art and the guided walking tours reveal the areas’ social history with a few local ghosts thrown in for good measure.

Did you know?

There are only four Tate Gallery’s in the world and one of them is right here in St Ives. Opened in 1993 in recognition of the international importance of art in Cornwall and St. Ives in particular, the impressive gallery holds hundreds of works produced by the St. Ives School from the late 1800's through to the 21st century.