Dion Star was recruited as Cultivator for Penzance because of his knowledge of the music and cultural scene in Cornwall. Through his initial assessment he identified a group of young people keen to take ownership of Penzance and to introduce a new lease of life into the arts scene in the town.

Together they formed the New Penzance collective and decided to run a competition to reach out to all the young people in the area, getting them to submit creative work expressing how they felt about their town. The New Penzance collective publicised the competition, secured a gallery space, curated the exhibition and then hosted the event inviting professional artists, writers and photographers to judge the entries and decide who the winners should be. The exhibition attracted entries from over 40 young people. The winning entries will soon be published in a book and displayed in an exhibition at the Exchange. Four of the young people from New Penzance have now gone on to get involved in RIO’s Young Promoters scheme, a graduation to develop their skills in promotion and events.