CORNWALL’S leading free visual arts festival, FORM, returns for a third consecutive year running over three days in Falmouth, from September 20 to 22.
Conceived to celebrate the county’s contemporary arts and crafts heritage and vibrant creative culture, FORM provides a platform for people at all stages in their creative journey.
The Art Fair, central to FORM, showcases 100 exhibitors, including painters, ceramicists, printmakers, jewellers, woodworkers, and sculptors, continuing to represent Cornwall’s long-standing artistic tradition. A mix of art related events, exhibitions, and workshops will also take place in venues across Falmouth, a coastal town frequently voted as one of the top places to visit in the UK.
Building on the past two fairs’ successes, FORM returns to the Princess Pavilion. Last year’s FORM attracted more than 5,000 visitors and its vibrant festival atmosphere is aided by street food vendors and a soundtrack supplied by local musicians.
This year, the music programme will be curated by local radio station Source FM, who will be broadcasting from the festival. The Young Creatives Art Trail will also be making a return to shop windows, showcasing the work of 200 Falmouth Year 5 and 6 primary age children who participated in art workshops held by local artists at the schools.
FORM is spearheaded by two local creatives - Vicki Glaister of Inspire Makers, which presents the work of more than 60 Cornish contemporary design-led artists and craftspeople, and Ann Morgan of Morgans, an art and design gallery that is an addition to Cornwall's contemporary art scene.
Already championing established and emerging Cornish talent through their own independent galleries in Falmouth, through FORM, Vicki and Ann introduce artists and makers to new audiences, support the growth of Falmouth’s dynamic artistic community, and offer opportunities to learn more about the visual arts, as well as encouraging the public to purchase directly from these small creative enterprises and continue this legacy within their own homes.
Vicki Glaister of Inspire Makers and Ann Morgan of Morgans said: “This county of Cornwall has long been a source of inspiration, refuge, and community. Both shaped by and simultaneously shaping the creatives who call it home.
“Artists and makers here are influenced by the rhythms of the landscape that surrounds us, inspired by both the raw dynamism and the gentle ebb and flow. We believe the art created in Cornwall is unparalleled and deserves to be celebrated by both familiar and new faces.”
FORM is supported by Falmouth BID and is part of a group of creative and cultural festivals working together as “Falmouth Creates” set up during the COVID-19 pandemic to reflect the various elements of Falmouth’s vibrant cultural scene and community.