ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE
Culture
The South West is a popular tourist destination, with some of the best tourist attractions in the UK including the Eden Project, Minack Theatre and theme parks.
The surfing capital of the UK, Cornwall attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year to its Run to the Sun festival and surfing contests, including the Ripcurl Boardmasters competition.
The county is also home to nationally-renowned art galleries including the Tate Gallery in St Ives. Artists come from all over the world to the county to paint, because of its unique light and stunning scenery.
Cornwall is also home to the Eden Project, the reported eighth wonder of the world, which has seen nearly seven million visitors pass through its doors since it opened in 2001. The venue has hosted world-renowned events such as Live 8 Africa Calling, and the Eden Sessions, which have featured artists as diverse as Moby, Keane, MUSE, Snow Patrol, Basement Jaxx, Lilly Allen and Amy Winehouse.
Eating out
Cornwall offers a great choice of fashionable eateries, including former Cornwall College student Rick Stein’s famous fish restaurant in Padstow and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant in Watergate Bay near Newquay.
The cathedral city of Truro is a popular shopping destination with bars, restaurants, a cinema and theatres. Choose from a wide range of international cuisine, including Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Nepalese and Indian in towns and villages throughout the county.
Theatres
For theatre-goers, the Minack Theatre near Penzance provides a stunning setting for live performances. Set amongst the rugged cliffs, the theatre overlooks the Channel, and has staged plays starring actors John Nettles, Charlotte Church, Will Self, Sue Pollard and Sarah Brightman.
The county has many smaller theatres, including Cornwall College’s own Keay Theatre in St Austell and the Hall for Cornwall in Truro, or Plymouth Pavilions offers a larger venue which attracts international artists (such as James Blunt, Natasha Bedingfield and Kanye West) as well as award-winning comedians (such as Jimmy Carr, French and Saunders, and Paul Merton).
