Celebrating community identity and culture, Penzance

Modern, traditional, Cornish, international

Participation by local schools forms a key part of the Golowan festivities

A typical Golowan festival involves the largest open-air public art display in the UK with hundreds of community made Mazey Day banners and flags, world music, local music, poetry, Cornish lessons, story-telling, writing - both new and traditional, workshops, town trails, ghost hunts, cliff walks, Cornish and Celtic films, talks and lectures, and a feast of Cornish dance and music.

Traditional elements include the election of a Mock Mayor of the Quay (lord or lady, sometimes both, of misrule), a Quay Fair at the harbourside, the Summer Fire fireworks display, echoing the blazing tar barrels and bonfires which once filled the streets. The ancient serpent dance winds through the streets led by Penglaz, a mysterious figure with a horse's skull, shrouded in black. The long established Feast of John brings together 'more mayors than you can shake a stick at' as well as church representatives and other representatives of the community. The Golowan band leads the processions. Bagas Degol, or 'Feast day band', Pendans, formed from the Golowan band, and Dalla have all entered into the spirit of the Cornish music revival. Golowan is a great place to showcase their talents.

The mid 1990s crisis

By 1996 it became clear that the organisation was outgrowing its voluntary capacity and it lacked clear direction, leadership or funding to develop as a professional community arts organisation. A focus weekend was held to decide on the way forward. It was decided to draw together a board of trustees and to register Golowan as a charity and company limited by guarentee. With the help of creative consultants Perfect Moment, the trust applied to PESCA SW, an EU initative, for grant assistance to support core wages and festival development for two years. Stephen Hall was appointed as director, later joined as administrator by Stephanie Hayward, who had helped with accounts as voluntary treasurer.

Golowan festival procession with trademark giant creatures heading down Market Jew Street

The essential PESCA core funding allowed Golowan to undertake year round project work whilst SW Arts, Penwith district council and Penzance town council continued to make annual grants to festival costs. However, in 1999, with no alternative long-term core funding in place, the charity was faced with insolvency. 'We held various meetings and made a public appeal, with newspaper publicity, to ask for support' says Hall. 'After a public presentation to Penwith district council, they made us an extraordinary grant of £45,000 over three years. The council acknowledged that the festival alone brought an estimated economic benefit to the area of an additional £4.4.million. Newly appointed Penwith chief executive Jim McKenna said £45,000 was a minimal investment for such a substantial return.'

In 2002 Golowan entered into a three year £48,000 per annum service level agreement with Penwith district and Penzance town council. The first contract of this kind in Cornwall, it has enabled the presentation of the annual festival, public art and winter events. In September 2004 this agreement is being renegotiated on the basis of essential core year-round running costs. The emphasis is on Golowan becoming, like several other local creative organisations, a 'strategic partner', rather than a client. 'I'm hoping We might get an increase,' says Hall, 'if the true value of Golowan's work is fully recognised, thanks to our close working relationship established over many years.'

Currently Golowan gets no support from the Arts Council and just £1,000 a year from Cornwall county council. The town council provides £12,000 a year. and puts on a spectacular fireworks display on Mazey eve, just after the mock mayor elections.