Experience Newquay

What is the grant for?

Experience Newquay is running an open-call grant programme for accommodation providers to create their own ‘cultural experience’ that can be added to Experience Newquay’s wider cultural programme. The work will contribute towards the creation and promotion of off-season experiential tourism products and sustainable year-round tourism.

The maximum individual grant available is £2,500. Plus marketing/mentoring support.

Project background

Experience Newquay is a project that aims to promote resilient year-round tourism in Newquay. The project seeks to connect local communities and visitors, by highlighting Newquay's unique identity through cultural activities and programming during the low season months. Taking a bottom-up approach and engaging with organisations across the creative, leisure, tourism, and heritage sectors, Experience Newquay is nurturing its ‘Creative Connection’ network. Collectively it will co-deliver a resilient year-round tourism strategy that benefits the town economically, socially, and environmentally.

Experience Newquay is encouraging businesses within the network to develop and create authentic low season cultural experiences that can be added to the commissioned cultural programming, that will be promoted via its low-season destination marketing campaign.

Research has highlighted a demand for events and proven that they drive footfall to the town centre. Experience Newquay proposes to foster this by creating an ‘art month/fortnight’ in November, using the commissioned cultural programme as a key driver.

Who are the grants for?

The grant is available to accommodation providers who want to develop their low season offer by commissioning a ‘cultural’ experience to form part of an overnight(s) stay during Oct – Dec, priority will be given to activity during art month (November).

This scheme is for accommodation providers from hotels, self-catering providers, holiday parks, B&Bs within destination Newquay (central Newquay and surrounding areas - from Hollywell up to Mawgan Porth) who commission and contract local creatives. However, the project is open to joint applications where creative/cultural individuals and organisations can approach accommodation to jointly apply, but an overnight(s) stay must be included.

Examples of what the grant could create:

• Hosting an artist in residence for a weekend inc. talks/workshops.
• Hosting a themed weekend – i.e., pottery throw down or wild walks.
• Hosting an event/performance from creative –i.e., spoken word/immersive theatre.

Objectives of grant

• Drive low season bookings to the accommodation sector and encourage overnight stays. Targeting both past and new visitors.
• Promote the local cultural offer and create reasons to book during the low season.
• Encourage visitors to see NQY differently in the low season.
• Unlock a wealth of ‘bookable’ cultural accommodation-based short breaks.
• Strategically match accommodation businesses with the creative community.
• Strengthen the dialogue and foster collaboration between two integral sectors of the Cornish economy.

How do I apply?

If you would like to explore the initial concepting process with the Experience Newquay project team, please schedule an initial meeting by emailing experiencenewquay@cornwall.gov.uk. Experience Newquay has an established creative network and is happy to make introductions to local creatives.

DOWNLOAD THE GRANT BRIEF & COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM

Deadline for application: Monday 20^th May 2024, 5pm

Funding information

Experience Newquay has been awarded £365,426 from Good Growth (Shared Prosperity Fund), which is match funded by Cornwall Council’s Town Centre Revitalisation Fund. It follows a successful pilot in West Cornwall. The project launched in June 2023 and will run until March 2025.

We're delighted to share our 'Be Newquay' guide, which has been co-created by the local Newquay community. It is made up of five positive actions you can take to help protect our wonderful town for the future.

We love where we live, work, play and surf. We know you’ll love it too.

By embracing the things that come naturally to us – our passion for the outdoors, kindness, creativity, community, and a desire to have a positive impact – we can help make sure every adventure in Newquay is sustainable, responsible, and enjoyable.

Be windswept and wild
Surrounded by surf, sand and winding coastal paths, Newquay’s wild beauty finds a place in your soul. Spend time in the natural world and enjoy long summer days swimming and barbecuing at the beach. Discover why we love the winter months and go hiking, coasteering and experience a clifftop sauna. We ask only that you leave nature as you find it, unharmed and beautiful for when you return – and we’re sure you’ll be back!

Be creatively curious

We write, sing and paint. We make and play. We’re poets, artists and performers. We’re excited to explore our heritage and share our creative spirit with you. From indoor art classes, workshops and spoken word nights to live performances on the beach and our winter lantern parade, be curious and get stuck in while you’re here. There is always something to discover, no matter the time of year.

Be kind and considerate

We invite and welcome kindness from each other and our guests towards our extraordinary people and places, our beaches, our heritage and the natural world. Be mindful of those around you – the people at work in the harbour, the brave RNLI crews and the wildlife you spot around Newquay’s cherished countryside and coastline.

Be part of our world

When you stay in Newquay, you become part of the fabric of our town. You don’t need to travel far to have a great time. Ensure your visit supports our businesses and communities by buying local and sharing what we offer. From wellness breaks to wassailing at Newquay Orchard, there’s plenty to inspire you in our itineraries.

Be a positive force

We love people visiting Newquay and the positive energy they bring to our town – even more so when they consider their carbon footprint. If you’re keen to reduce your impact, try arriving by train and using the electric Beryl Bikes to explore. Revel in finding secret spots on foot or exploring further by bus. Breathe in a spectacular view, find your peace and just be.

Most of all, be yourself. We’re so glad you’re here.

To find out more about the activities and experiences you can get involved in during your visit, head to www.visitnewquay.org

Photo by Ingrid PopExperience Newquay, which aims to encourage a resilient year-round visitor economy, has awarded grants to deliver cultural events during the winter months, and shortlisted six proposals to develop ideas for permanent installations across the town centre.

Together the selected permanent installations and creative activities will provide a cultural event programme for residents and visitors to enjoy during the traditionally quieter months.

Following an open call, a panel made of Newquay community representatives reviewed the proposals using criteria informed directly from consultation with residents and business owners where themes including “community, history, events, people” were identified. As a result,

Photo by Ingrid Pop

Moving Portraits by Rob Mennear (Part of Wide Open Autumn Season 2023) Photo by Emily Appleton

Six proposals for permanent installations have also been shortlisted. The projects include ideas for sculpture, graffiti, light installations and more. Each proposal will be developed further and will be reviewed by the panel. Two projects will go ahead and be announced in the spring.

Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for economy and local Member for Newquay Central and Pentire, said: "Experience Newquay’s cultural programme is putting community at its heart, from the co-creation of the criteria to the make-up of the judging panel. Newquay is on track to have an enviable programme of cultural activities and installations, which will inject a fresh energy into the town centre for residents and visitors alike.”

We want to create a network of like-minded organisations that can work together to become more resilient year-round. We will be running a skills development programme to meet the specific needs of the local business community. It will focus on collaboration and supporting you in developing experiential offers that appeal to out of season visitors.

Please sign up to our newsletter to keep up-to-date with recent developments and news.

We need your help to co-create Newquay’s Visitor Charter and encourage our visitors to love our place like a local. We see that as inviting everyone to BE MORE Newquay when they visit our place!

To ensure our visitor economy in Newquay contributes positively to our communities, our businesses and our much loved natural environment, we want to connect with our visitors and help them to help us.

A visitor charter is an invitation to encourage people to sustainably engage with a place.

An initial visitor charter workshop attended by local stakeholders resulted in the co-creation of the first draft and now we're gathering as much feedback as possible.

If you click here to review - it should take around 10 mins
Deadline: 19th Feb 2023

If you prefer to feedback separately/have any problems accessing the below link, email experiencenewquay@cornwall.gov.uk

Your feedback will inform the creation of the final version, which will be free and editable for businesses to use and promote to their customers/guests.

We’ve commissioned a destination survey to help understand patterns and behaviours of people visiting Newquay (both locals and overnight visitors). The survey is in partnership with Visit Cornwall’s and it will be distributed via their established networks.

However we would like the opportunity to capture your customers feedback too, and ensure we collect a truly representative dataset. In return for completing the survey, your customers could win £200 to spend on Cornish food & drink. And your business, will get access to the final evaluation report once it is ready.

If you are interested in promoting to your customers, download the digital assets on the right hand side of our Let's Talk page. You'll find different sizes for social, newsletters & posters. If you would like printed assets email experiencenewquay@cornwall.gov.uk.

Help us co-design a visitor charter for Newquay

If you are involved in the visitor economy, join Experience Newquay and CoaST on Wednesday 8th November for a informal session.

Multiple destinations have created such a charter: it’s a simple, engaging, uplifting way of communicating with visitors, to inspire them to connect with place in a more responsible and sustainable way.

To develop this, we need to hear from businesses, community members and stakeholders involved in the sector. As part of the session, we will work with everyone present to identify the most important issues for Newquay to feature in a charter.

Collectively, we’ll think about how to frame these issues to be a positive and welcoming call to action to enable Newquay to thrive, and visitors to have an unforgettable experience.

The resulting visitor charter will then be used across Experience Newquay's low season marketing.

Event details
Wednesday 8th November
10am - 12.30pm
Mount Wise Community Centre
28 Mount Wise Newquay TR 2BJ

BOOK HERE
To find Mount Wise Community Centre: https://what3words.com/glares.spacing.slopes

Mount Wise is in walking distance from the town centre. If you are travelling from further afield, plan your public transport and ticket options via Transport for Cornwall (there’s some great deals).

Light refreshments will be available.

We have launched an open call for cultural commissions for autumn & winter 2024.

We want to commission a range of organisations to deliver cultural events, workshops and activities as well as create permanent installations across Newquay town centre.

There are 2 grants available:

• Cultural Activities: up to £7,500
• Permanent Installations: up to £30,000

Head over to FEAST’s website for more detail and how to apply.

On Monday 9 October, between 11.30am and 5pm, we invite you to come and meet the Experience team at Mount Wise Community Centre in Newquay. There is no need to book, just drop-in when is convenient to you.

The Experience Newquay team will share plans for the programme: we will be asking what you and your organisation need to be more resilient out-of-season and you can learn more about our marketing campaign and how to get involved.

FEAST will be running workshops exploring the role of culture in town centres. This will be the opportunity to give your views and help us inform future activities.

To find Mount Wise Community Centre: what3words: ///glares.spacing.slopes
The venue is centrally located to walk to from town, however if you require parking Mount Wise pay & display is the closest car park.

Refreshments will be available all day.

Come and learn more about the project, what opportunities lie ahead, make connections and help us shape the programme!