An introduction to CMR
CMR is an artist-led contemporary art gallery, project space and membership initiative based in a spacious three story building in Back Lane West, Redruth, Cornwall. It opened its doors to the public in March 2012.
CMR is designed to create a community of artists who can exhibit and flourish within this three storey building, and expand into and out through the local and wider community. We aim to encourage adventurous work that will respond and challenge not only to CMR’s various spaces but also the broader Contemporary Art landscape of Cornwall. Artists, writers, curators and musicians are encouraged to discuss and work together, by fielding exhibitions, discussions, social and skill-sharing events and workshops. A significant objective for CMR is to enable the contemporary arts to be accessible to the immediate community, both as a creative centre and for specific programmed events. The CMR space is ideal for exhibiting contemporary art in all its diversity and could include painting, sculpture, installation, performance, participation, relational aesthetics, text, digital media, photography, film and sound work. We currently do not support solo exhibitions. CMR consists of an chosen group of Directors and a Membership of practitioners. It is a voluntary-run organisation and project, and has achieved it's growing success through work, commitment, and belief in its ideals. The current Directors have some range of experience, including event organisation, PR, exhibition curation, teaching and on-going involvement in artist-led and community projects. They are also artists, specialising in film, writing, installation, sound, graphic design and research. CMR does not receive any core funding and is supported through this voluntary commitment, and the development of the Membership initiative is vital to allow the continuation and growth of the project. |
CMR Mission Statement
CMR is an artist-led contemporary art space and membership initiative based in Redruth, Cornwall.
CMR aims to develop a flourishing community of artists and practitioners through providing space to meet, present and discuss new work. This aims to inspire the individual on their creative path, and creates the potential to work together to network, stage exhibitions, develop projects and create new works that focus on a forward thinking aesthetic. CMR actively encourages experimental, ambitious and genre defying work that may not easily find a platform within existing regional art venues. It is flexible in its attitude to mixing and crossing forms. This encourages adventurous work and encompasses all art forms - including painting, sculpture, installation, text, digital media, photography, film, sound work performance, public art, and participative, dialogical & relational practices. CMR aims to make a positive contribution to the socio-cultural ecology of Redruth and the surrounding area. CMR interacts with other projects and communities locally, nationally and internationally to reinvest, encourage and raise the profile of contemporary Cornish arts. This primarily makes it accessible within the local community but ultimately creates opportunities for all by forming networks further afield. |
A brief history of CMR
CMR is the relaunch of Cornwall Media Resource, an educational charity established in the late 90s.
The organisation was originally called Cornwall Video Resource and began life in a room at County Hall, mainly as a membership organisation. It bought the building in Redruth in the early-mid 90s with the aid of an award from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts (FSA). The new institution was revenue funded by South West Arts (SWA) and employed a full time administrator, but when SWA hived off its film and video side to the newly formed South West Media Development Agency (SWMDA) the funding was removed and the organisation became entirely voluntary and run by the membership, who elected the directors at each AGM. The organisation became a registered charity in the late 1990s and was renamed Cornwall Media Resource, with a new constitution. Around this time there was a big upsurge in video production in Cornwall. Then came the first relatively cheap digital equipment, and the possibility of non-linear editing on PCs. CMR members and directors played leading roles in the formation of the CIA (variously interpreted but most commonly expanded as 'The Cornish Independent Filmmakers Association') that, with the coming of European Regional Development Fund Objective One funding to Cornwall played an important part in the formulation of the Cornwall Film Fund, with a budget of several million pounds. One sad aspect of Objective One was that the temporary existence of funding for Cornish film work accidentally killed off the collective, collaborative ethos that had previously underpinned moving image work here. Along with changes in technology that largely rendered edit suite-based production obsolete, the membership of CMR declined and the building became very little used. Cornwall Media Resource wound down its activities. The old building was rented as offices for a few years, then stood empty for several more. Meetings on the MA Fine Art course at Falmouth Uni in 2011 led to Cornwall Media Resource being rebranded and relaunched as CMR, focussing on developing a programme of exhibitions and events, with contemporary art at it's heart. CMR is new, revitalised, reclaiming the empty building in the heart of Redruth, on the spine of Cornwall. CMR is a gallery, a project space, an organisation and a concept. |
The CMR building, Back Lane West, Cornwall during the Save Our Placards! exhibition April-May 2012
Arts In Redruth
Cornwall has a respected history of Fine Art, most significantly the 20th C St. Ives artists. (St. Ives is about 16 miles from here.) Major names have been drawn to the area, including a number of Surrealists, and the current arts scene is very active and diverse.
CMR aims to continue this long tradition of Cornish innovation and independent creativity, but also to address its significance in wider geographical and social matters. There are existing arts practices, groups and organisations in Redruth, particularly Back Lane West and Krowji studios. A brief guide to Redruth
Redruth is a town in Cornwall, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road (now the A30), and is approximately 9 miles (14 km) west of Truro, 12 miles (19 km) east of St Ives, 18 miles (29 km) north east of Penzance and 11 miles (18 km) north west of Falmouth.
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Gallery floor plans
1st Floor plan
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2nd Floor plan
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About CMR
CMR is an artist-led
initiative designed to create a community of artists who will exhibit
and flourish within this three storey building. It is a voluntary-run organisation and project. We aim to be all
inclusive; we aim to encourage adventurous work that will respond and
challenge not only to CMR’s various spaces but also the broader
Contemporary Art landscape of Cornwall.
Read more... |
Want to be involved?
Membership is open to artists, makers, curators, writers and thinkers at all stages of their careers who are interested in developing a rigorous, critically engaged level of contemporary practice, and who are interested in actively contributing to help promote the overall well-being of the project.
Find out more > |
