Now Open: Cornwall’s Communities – Archives of Lived Experiences Exhibition
The Cornwall Lived Experience Partnership (CLEP) and Kresen Kernow are pleased to announce the opening of Cornwall’s Communities: Archives of Lived Experiences, a public exhibition now available to visit at Kresen Kernow, Redruth.
This exhibition marks the culmination of a collaborative project that invited individuals with lived experience of inequality, exclusion, or marginalisation to engage with Cornwall’s historical archives. Through a series of workshops held earlier this year, participants explored archival materials and contributed reflections and responses that have shaped the final exhibition.
The exhibition is now open and free to visit. It forms part of Kresen Kernow’s 2025 exhibition programme and is presented across two display areas within the building. The venue is fully accessible.
For more details, including opening hours and visitor information, please see the official listing on the Kresen Kernow website.
About the Exhibition
Rather than simply presenting historical facts or interpretations, the exhibition highlights how different people engage with archives. It includes direct quotes and responses gathered during the workshops, reflecting personal reactions to historical documents, themes of representation, and questions around visibility and exclusion.
The exhibition offers a space to recognise and reflect on the richness and complexity of Cornwall’s communities today. It invites visitors to connect with the voices and questions raised in the workshops, personal responses to the archives that speak to present-day experiences, concerns, and identities.
The result is not only an exhibition but an invitation to consider whose stories are told, whose are missing, and how we can make archives more open and inclusive.
A Public Launch
The exhibition opened with a launch event in June, attended by project participants, partners, and members of the public. It provided an opportunity to celebrate the work of those involved and to recognise the importance of making heritage spaces more welcoming to a wider range of voices and experiences.
Visit the Exhibition
The exhibition is open for four months (from late June until late October) and we encourage everyone to visit, reflect, and take part in this shared conversation about history, inclusion and community.
Admission is free. No booking required.
Location
Kresen Kernow
Little Vauxhall, Redruth, TR15 1AS
Accessibility
The venue is wheelchair accessible throughout. Accessible parking and toilets are available.
Funding Acknowledgement
This new collaborative exhibition has been funded by an Engagement Grant from The National Archives. We’re grateful for their support in helping to make this work possible.
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