Could Cornwall Lead the UK in Community Creativity This October?

Published On: 9 May 2025Last Updated: 9 May 2025By CornishStuff

📷 Lego Screen Printing Fun Palace at Kresen Kernow, Cornwall 2024 Credit Neal Megaw

Fun Palaces Weekend returns – and Redruth is already on the map

A nationwide celebration of local creativity and community is returning from 3rd–5th October, and Cornwall is already getting involved.

Fun Palaces 2025 is calling on museums, libraries, theatres, schools, creative groups and individuals across the Duchy to host their own events – whether big public gatherings or small doorstep moments. It’s all about sharing skills, celebrating curiosity, and connecting with others.

Since launching in 2013, the Fun Palaces movement has attracted more than 880,000 participants across the UK. Last year alone, over 60,000 people took part in more than 140 events. Now organisers are hoping this year’s celebration will be the biggest yet – and Cornish venues are already on board.

📷Mark Wilkinson leads DIY Hovercraft science sessions at Ware's the Fun Palace 2024, Hertfordshire Credit Roswitha Chesher

Redruth to Host Fun Palaces Workshop in May

To help people get started, a series of in-person workshops are being held around the UK – including one at The Ladder in Redruth on 27th May. The session is designed to connect potential organisers, spark ideas, and show just how easy it is to get involved.

Director of Fun Palaces, Amie Taylor, said:

“Signing up to make a Fun Palace, whether it’s big and buzzing or tiny and tucked away, means organisations can be part of a shared weekend of joy, connection, and culture across the UK and beyond.

“The introduction of Tiny Fun Palaces is just one of the new features we’ve set up to expand the ways people can take part… However you choose to join in, it counts – and we can’t wait to see what you create.”

You can find the full list of workshops here.

What Is a Fun Palace?

Fun Palaces are community-led events where people share skills, hobbies or interests. It could be stage combat in a library, seed swapping in a park, crafts in a village hall, or a poetry reading from your front window. There’s no need to be an expert, just a willingness to get involved.

There are now three ways to take part:

A public Fun Palace in places like a library or school
An Online Fun Palace using livestreams or shared digital content
A Tiny Fun Palace hosted at home, in the garden, or on your street

Explore what’s already planned near you via the live list of events or get ideas using the Fun Palaces Makers’ Toolkit.

📷The Ware Men's Shed leading 'Make a Bird Box' workshops at Ware's the Fun Palace, Hertfordshire 2024 Credit Roswitha Chesher

Bringing Cornish Creativity to the Front Room

Whether you’re in a Cornish town centre or a remote hamlet, Fun Palaces is designed to work for everyone – including those who can’t travel far. With the new Tiny Fun Palaces model, even a handful of neighbours sharing a story or making something together can be part of the national event.

Stuart Cox, CEO of Hoxton Hall, said:

“There’s no pressure to make it grand or perfect; simply making it happen is a success. However small the event, it matters – be part of something brilliant.”

Zab Iftikhar, who organises Fun Palaces in Lancashire, added:

“We’ve been a daunting building for many years and we just wanted to open our doors to the local community… It’s put us on the map.”

And for Laura Stubbings, who organised a Fun Palace in Rotherham:

“Just go for it. It’s a great opportunity to bring lots of people together… There are so many people out there doing amazing things that you don’t realise are happening until Fun Palaces happen.”