The Penzance Convention was a three-day conference in expanded form. Building on the precedent of The Falmouth Convention, it was conceived as an international meeting of artists, curators, writers, scientists, historians, philosophers and experts from other fields.

The Penzance Convention reflected on the theme of extraction, with reference both to Cornwall’s extractive industries – mining and fishing in particular – and to the processes by which artists draw meaning from history and site.

The original content of The Penzance Convention is retained here alongside records of and responses to the Convention. For background information about Penzance and the venues and organisations that hosted the Convention see About, for detailed information about the content of the Convention see Programme, for information about participants see Profiles, for transcripts or recordings of selected contributions and reports on the field trips see Record, and for feedback from participants see Responses.

The Penzance Convention was convened by Teresa Gleadowe and Hadrian Pigott and produced by Phil Rushworth and Bettina Wenzel in partnership with Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange, Penzance. It was funded by Arts Council England South West, Outset Contemporary Art Fund and LUMA Foundation.

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