About Our Arts Venue

The Isles of Scilly has a rich history of cultural experiences, providing an inspiring bolthole for generations of artists and performers

St Mary’s has a vibrant and burgeoning arts scene and the transformation of the Town Hall will create an important indoor space to experience the work of local artists. It will also offer a theatre space to welcome touring shows to the Isles of Scilly, from drama and comedy to music and exhibitions.

The cultural centre can be set up as a cinema, providing an opportunity to bring films over to the islands on a regular basis. For performers who are used to staging landscape theatreoutside in Scilly, it brings a welcome all-weather venue to see plays and performances onthe island.

The setting can be formal or relaxed, with seating arrangements that include standingevents, theatre in the round, cabaret-style performances, and traditional staging with rakedseating allowing for audiences of up to 150 people.

The view of the main hall when configured as an auditorium or performance space, showing raked seating arranged in rows and a band performing at the front. Accessible areas for wheelchairs are shown at the front of the image.

Discover arts events and theatre shows

With the support of Arts Council England, we will be bringing an exciting programme of events to the islands throughout 2026

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  • “The shags stand on the ledges of the highest rocks in silent rows… the sea-gulls fly, shrieking in rapture… the curlews call; the herons sail across the sky; and in spring millions of puffins swim and dive and fly about the rocks.”

    —S.Baring-Gould, A Book of the West Being an Introduction to Devon and Cornwall, Vol. II.

  • “Through a sea of myriad shades of blue… the calls of oystercatchers resonate… The sun bathes the rocks with the warmth of its glow, showing the splendours that are this earth's.”

    —The Island of St Helen’s, published online poem

  • “It is here that I unroll my canvases and prop my boards, where the sand always gets in the paint, the wind and sun dry everything too quickly, the rain washes it all away and everything is so beautiful.”

    —Kurt Jackson, based in St Just, Cornwall and whose 2018 internationally-acclaimed exhibition of work was inspired by Scilly

What is Culture on Scilly?

With the support of Arts Council England, we put together events programmes which will help inform what we put on in the new Isles of Scilly Cultural Centre and Museum.

Alongside our regular programme of events around the five islands, we run and support projects and commissions which enable people to experience high-quality arts and culture.

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