Organised by Jim Newitt and Dan Crockett, 'There is No Surf in England' was a unique group show, held for one night only, in St Merryn Village Hall. 

Why did you decide to do this show - is it all about artistic freedom/ showing work that doesn't get shown in other galleries, reaching a different audience from the conventional gallery crowd, or just that it's a lot more fun doing it with your mates?

Dan: This kind of show is free, chaotic and unplanned - but most of all it is independent. Involving money or business changes the essence. It ruins things for me. Showing what you've made is really personal, and having an informal setting enhances this rather than making it all forced. Independent events and artists are really important for surfing I think.

Jim: I had been away from England a while and gone to a bunch of shows in Oz and the US. I liked the way they were always an excuse for people with a common interest to get together and figured we should do some kind of show here in the UK. It struck me that there wasn't (at least to my limited knowledge) much of a stage for surf culture in the UK to present itself, compared to California, Australia, or even Japan. This was in fact the main reason for putting on the event. Art shows or events are a means of showcasing publicly what's going culturally, which in turn inspires people to make stuff and contribute to the culture which is how the thing is enriched, and thrives, and evolves. The UK often gets left off the map when it comes to surfing - of course, if you live here you know surfing is huge, there are millions of people doing it and plenty of them making stuff inspired by their experiences. I guess loosely curating an art show based on this fact went some way towards dispelling the myth that there is no surf in England.

Was the community aspect a big part of the There is No Surf in England idea? ...Doing it in a village hall, having live music, cheap tasty veggie food etc.

Dan: I like putting these things on to draw together a diverse crew of surfers, because the crowd makes the show. Creating an atmosphere definitely helps, and decent food and beautiful music put people in a good mood. I like that people's parent's come, and people bring their kids. Surfing should be a warm, friendly, inclusive culture. There would be nothing worse than loads of icy hipsters sizing each other up; that isn't surfing. There is genuine talent in the surfing subculture, and it should be nurtured. When amazing musicians like Neil Halstead come out of the woodwork and play for free, it makes it all seem worthwhile.

Jimy: Having heard about the show, people we had never met before just showed up on the day with their stuff and we found a space for it. Admittedly having little or no money to spend meant it was a pretty makeshift affair - which by extension was unpretentious and fun.

What's the best thing about doing your own show?

Dan: The best part is the journey, the spark of an idea for a painting, little book, poem or whatever - and taking that through to the finished article.

Jimy: The best thing is not bowing to anyone with commercial interests - seeing your friends stoked on making stuff and putting on a good night. In this case - it was the hope that we might have given people a sense that they belong to a community of surfers/artists.



What are the hardest aspects of working outside a conventional gallery space. Any disaster stories?

Dan: At No Surf we totally trashed the hall. I had to get up at seven still drunk to re-hang the village curtains, hide the bottles and cans, and paint the tapestry of Velcro holes all over the walls. It was a bit hectic, but I think we pulled it off.

Jimy: The hardest thing about the space its self was clearing it as much as we could, so as the thing might at least resemble some kind of art show. Equally, the further the thing becomes from a conventional gallery space the more people relax, though you still want to present the work well - so we had to work hard to clear the space of all the paraphernalia that comes with a village hall - ie. 200 chairs and tables and bad curtains.

How long did it take to get everything up?

Dan: Honestly, it was a matter of sending a group email and spending a few hours in the hall working out how to hang stuff. Jim and I did one recce on the way to beach, but it was pretty spontaneous. The best thing is not to worry, it comes together.

Jimy: Everyone helped out to make a big task small.

How much work do you normally sell at something like this? Or is it more about raising the individual artists' profiles?

Dan: For me it's just fun. But it's nice not to run a huge loss!

Jimy: I don't think anyone went into it with expectation of selling anything much - though some of us did which was great. Money was never a motivating factor - not once - money usually complicates things.



What would be your dream space/ location put on an exhibition in?

Dan: There is a semi-ruined village hall near here, swathed in ivy, hidden away. That'll be the next venue for sure. A group of us are also looking into renting a rural chapel - permanent venue, monthly music and film nights, it's going to be classic!

Jimy: I'd like to have my own gallery one day, and curate each show and be able to exhibit art that really inspires me and other people. The space itself could be very humble and I'd be happy - it could be anywhere and I'd be happy.