Culture matters for Cornwall’s future as a creation nation

By Cllr Sarah Preece, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Localism and Planning, Cornwall Council

Cornwall is extraordinary: a land shaped by centuries of heritage, blessed with breathtaking natural beauty and sustained by a proud cultural identity.

From our Celtic roots and the Cornish language our story is one of resilience, creativity and community spirit. The industries of mining, fishing, farming and clay have shaped our landscapes, communities and way of life. Our traditions, festivals and shared sense of belonging continue to bring that story to life every day.

To celebrate, develop and support this, Cornwall Council has launched a new Cultural Strategy 2026-2036. It seeks to support creative artists, organisations and communities, while recognising that culture is also a driver of prosperity, wellbeing, identity and opportunity.

The evidence is compelling. Culture and creative industries contribute £291m (GVA) to the Cornish economy. More than 10,800 people work in creative occupations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and every creative job is estimated to support almost two more elsewhere in the economy, demonstrating how culture drives wider prosperity.

Yet culture is about far more than economics.

Participation in arts, heritage and cultural activity is linked to improved wellbeing, stronger social connections and more resilient communities. Across Cornwall, our libraries, museums, festivals, theatres, village halls and heritage organisations bring people together, create a sense of belonging and strengthen community life.

What makes Cornwall's cultural story especially powerful is our distinct identity. 

As one of the Celtic nations, Cornwall has its own language, traditions, stories and heritage. Recognition of the Cornish people as a national minority affirmed what many have always known: Cornwall is more than an administrative area. It is a national community with a unique identity and a proud place among the nations of the United Kingdom.

As an administration, we are championing Cornwall as the UK's fifth nation. That identity is not simply something to celebrate; it is one of our greatest strategic assets. All of Cornwall has always and still does inspire artists, writers, musicians, makers, entrepreneurs and innovators. Cornwall does not simply consume culture; it creates it.

And we want Cornwall to be recognised as a creation nation: a place where culture is made, shared and renewed every day.

Our cultural identity also connects us to the wider world. This year, as Cornwall takes centre stage at the Interceltic Festival in Lorient during the Year of Cornwall, leader of Cornwall Council and I will be representing Cornwall internationally. Alongside celebrating our shared Celtic culture and heritage, we will sign a new memorandum of understanding with Brittany, engage with the Interceltic Business Forum and champion our Global Cornish programme, strengthening connections with the Cornish diaspora around the world.

It is a powerful reminder that culture helps us look outward as well as inward, building relationships, opportunities and influence far beyond our shores.

Culture is not an optional extra. By investing in culture, we are investing in what makes Cornwall, Cornwall: a Celtic nation with a global outlook, looking inward to value our heritage and outward to shape our future.