Penzance Arts Club

Chapel House, Chapel Street, Penzance, TR18 4AQ Cornwall UK
reception@penzanceartsclub.co.uk | 44 (0)1736 363761

The Penzance Arts Club

The principal function of the Arts Club is to provide a congenial venue for people of like minds to meet, dine on freshly prepared food, and to entertain their friends, colleagues and business associates. The Club is also dedicated; in it's own way, to promoting the arts in the South West.

The Penzance Arts Club has very recently been taken over by an illustrator, Freire Wright, and the owner of The Cornish Hen Deli, Sarah Shaw.

It is the very intriguing combination of these two people that guarantees the eclectic mix that makes The Penzance Arts Club the place you want to be.

That combined with a knowledge gathered over several years of how to run a Club, an Art Gallery, a Bed and Breakfast, a Bar and of course a restaurant.

The Art Club is a combination of all those things and more.

All of this is done is a very relaxed and friendly manner, the aim of which is to make people feel they are part of a large family. Always a welcome smile to greet weary travellers and our local Club members.

Bar and Restaurant

There is a fully stocked bar and licensed restaurant for our Club Members and guests to use. There is also a private walled garden and has lovely views of the harbour, St Michaels Mount and the bay.

The garden is often the venue for special celebrations during the summer months, including champagne suppers, barbeques, weddings, balls and festivals.

Bedrooms

There are eight bedrooms in The Club, six double, one twin and a single. There are the grand rooms on the first floor that have their own shower and basin and a shared loo.

And also some charming rooms on the second floors that are smaller and have en-suite facilities.

Events

A wide range of events are held to suit varied tastes. All kinds of musical evenings are arranged, including folk, classical, Jazz and rock. There are often impromptu jamming sessions. Themed fancy dress nights are very popular, with champagne and prizes given to those with the best costumes.

Lectures, discussions, poetry readings, recitals and performance art are frequently hold by members and invited guests.

Members are also encouraged to produce plays, performance and the Club pantomime. A Summer Arts Ball is held most years.

Benefits of Membership

Membership of the Club confers full and free use of the Club facilities, allows your work to be displayed throughout the building, gives access to like-minded artists and potential purchasers, and provides an attractive location for conducting arts-related business.

Members can invite guests to the Club for drinks, or to stay overnight in one of the bedrooms. (Entry is now by intercom on the main door.)

As a private club the bar and accommodation are all subsidised for members.

Members may display some examples of their work throughout the building at no charge; these are re-hung at monthly intervals in order that exhibitors share favoured positions. Artists may also book the foyer gallery for a solo exhibition of their work, be it painting, drawings, jewellery, textiles, ceramics, sculpture or photography. Exhibitions run for two weeks each, to allow for fresh works to be continually displayed. Commission of only 20% is charged on works sold by members and 35% by non-members.

Members may book the club facilities for birthday parties and other private functions: everything from a small children's party to a formal banquet can be accommodated.

History of Chapel House

Built in 1780, the Penzance Arts Club is one of Penzance's treasured examples of Georgian architecture. The interior is gradually being tastefully restored, exposing many of the delightful original features. From the Foyer Gallery, the wide and graceful staircase leads to a landing whose large bow headed window overlooks Penzance Harbour and provides far-reaching views across Mounts Bay. The bar and lounge were once the staterooms of the Portuguese Embassy and still retain their elegance.

The Penzance Arts Club was formed during the winter of 1993 and finally opened at Chapel House on 29th May 1994. The proprietor was the textile designer Belinda Rushworth-Lund.