BENOW Festival 2025

Falmouth Art Gallery is delighted to announce Benow Festival 2025, a celebration of women and gender-diverse makers, taking place from Wednesday 5th – Saturday 8th March 2025. The festival will highlight craftsmanship, hands-on creativity, and the role of making in community and sustainability through workshops, discussions, and creative showcases.

🎟 Affordable Access to Craft Workshops

All ticketed workshops are highly subsidised and available at an exclusive discounted rate for the festival. These sessions are one-time-only opportunities to learn from expert makers at a fraction of their usual cost—ensuring broader access to crafts that might otherwise be out of reach. Spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended!

Weekday Benow Festival Schedule

Each weekday evening will feature a unique hands-on activity led by a craftsperson.

• Radical Stitching: Craftivism and The Power of Pockets
  📍 Wednesday 5th March, Council Chamber
  Come and join us for radical sewing and learn all about seditious pockets and subversive stitches! This hands-on workshop explores the power of craftivism through stitching messages and creating functional, symbolic pockets. (16+)
  FREE Workshop. No booking required.
• Brushmaking Taster Workshop: Woodworking Skills [£30]
  📍 Thursday 6th March, Council Chamber
  Learn traditional brush-binding techniques and basic woodworking skills with maker Ellie Birkhead. Inspired by one of England’s last brushmakers, you’ll craft your own brush, shape the handle, and experiment with natural and repurposed bristles like fishing nets and plant fibres. (16+)
  Spaces limited. Advance booking required.
• Lino Printing Workshop with Hannah from Submerge Art [£10]
  📍 Friday 7th March, 17:00 – 20:00, Council Chamber
  Join Hannah of Submerge Art for a hands-on introduction to lino printing. In this three-hour workshop, you’ll learn how to draw or transfer an image onto soft lino, safely carve your design, and hand-print it onto blank cards or printing paper—ready to take home at the end of the session! (12+)
  Spaces limited. Advance booking required.

Saturday 8th March: Full Day of Craft & Conversation (10:00 – 20:00)

• Cast Hands Sculpture Workshop with Katri Paakkari [£10]
  📍 11:00 – 16:00, Gallery Foyer
  Create a plaster cast of your hands, either by holding hands with a loved one or forming a sculptural piece to decorate later. A unique opportunity to explore sculpture in a personal way. (under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult)
  Spaces limited. Advance booking required.
• FREE Drop-In Clay-Play
  📍 Foyer, 10:00 –– 17:00, Gallery Foyer
  A relaxed, drop-in clay workshop for all ages. Experiment with shaping, sculpting, and texturing clay—no experience necessary!
• FREE Drop-In Crafting Workshop & Refreshments
  📍 10:00 – 17:00, Council Chamber
  Join us for a free, all-day drop-in craft session featuring multiple creative activities. A welcoming space for all ages, with complimentary tea and coffee provided by Fairtrade Falmouth.
• Round Table Discussion: Women Makers – Craft & Community [£3]
  📍 17:30 – 20:00, Gallery
  A live discussion and round table exploring themes of sustainability, craft as vocation, innovation, community, and the future of traditional skills. Audience participation encouraged! Spaces limited. Advance booking required.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Ellie Birkhead – Craft researcher and maker
• Katri Paakkari – Artist and sculptor
• Nicola Ibbotson – Marine Engineering Lecturer, Falmouth Marine College
• Millie Rogers – Engineering apprentice at Pendennis Shipyard
• Angela Firth – Willow artist and basket weaver, Bojorrow Baskets