The Leach Pottery, which celebrates its centenary this year, has become the first arts patron of the St Ives September Festival.

The two organisations have had a long association, with the world-famous pottery first involved in the festival's inaugural year in 1978.

The new patronage was announced at the Pottery on The Stennack, where Leach director Libby Buckley said: "The Leach Pottery is honoured to have this opportunity to support the St Ives September Festival as their new arts patron for 2020.

"An iconic event in the St Ives calendar, the festival celebrates the diverse creative talents from Cornwall and beyond.

"The September Festival has a long history of bringing together local artistic communities, from its establishment by the International Musicians Seminar and the Penwith Society of Artists, of which Bernard Leach was a founding member, to the bringing together of local musicians and artists today.

"It is particularly fitting that we can renew our historic connection and come together once again to champion our shared values of artistic collaboration and exchange."

Ms Buckley added: "This is a significant year for the Leach Pottery as we celebrate our centenary.

"Since our foundation in 1920 we have supported the creative arts in St Ives, and we will carry on this tradition through an exciting programme of activities taking place throughout 2020.

"We invite everyone to join in with our Leach 100 celebrations and visit us during what is set to be a fantastic festival."

Last year Callum Trudgeon, former Leach potter apprentice and current studio potter, and Michel Francois, start up potter, both delivered well-attended Festival talks focusing on their collaborations with their counterparts around the world while the pottery also hosted their free Have-A-Go Thursday taster sessions where festival-goers had the opportunity to get their hands on some clay.

Mary English, chair of the September Festival, said: "Show of Hands have been patrons of the festival on the music side for a number of years and we have been actively looking for an arts patron.

"We are delighted and honoured that the prestigious Leach Pottery, which has been such a major contributor to the artistic history of St Ives for 100 years, has agreed to be the arts patron of our festival."