St Ives Stories is a collection of short films exploring the culture and history of St Ives, focusing on five projects and institutions that help make this town so special. The project was generously funded by the Town Deal.
There was a celebratory launch screening of all five films as part of the September Festival on 16 September at St Ives Cinema, with plans to show them all again soon.
We were so honoured to be chosen as one of the five St Ives Stories. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to have our story told, including the history of the land before we arrived and all the people who have been involved, past and present.
Our filmmakers, Mike and Steph from Glass Mountain Films, have put so many hours into creating this film. They had the incredibly difficult job of condensing around a year’s worth of filming, interviews and footage into just over 20 minutes.
Mike and Steph first joined us as volunteers about a year before this project got underway and immediately got stuck in, pressing apples and helping with all sorts of jobs. They were also filming us during this time and created a couple of lovely short films before the St Ives Stories project even began.
A huge thank you to Mike and Steph, and to everyone who generously shared their stories in the interviews, and to all the volunteers who aren’t in the film but have been part of the project over the years.
And thank you to St Ives Town Council and everyone in the local community who has supported us along the way. It really has been a community effort.
It was made up of five key projects. They are:
- Penbeagle Hill History And Traditions Revived – led by St Ives Orchard Project: The history of Penbeagle hill, home to the community orchard project & Nature reserve and exploring the traditions entertwined.
- Landing The Catch And Making Waves With The Jumbo – led by St Ives Museum and the Jumbo Association: Long before painting, St Ives was a key fishing town, and this project celebrates that, including a look into the story of reviving the local “Jumbo” boats.
- Hidden Creative Spaces – led by St Ives Archive: A behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating hidden spaces of St Ives artists.
- Moving Stories Of Sculpture – led by Penwith Gallery, Penwith Society of Arts in Cornwall: A dynamic look at sculpture in St Ives, told through eyes of some of our youngest artists.
- The Turning Point For St Ives School Of Painting – led by St Ives School of Painting: Exploring a pivotal moment in the evolution of St Ives School of Painting, highlighting how it has evolved since its founding in 1938, supporting artistic talent today.
