purpose and values About the Trust
Dartington is an international centre for the generation and application of new ideas in the arts, ecology and social justice.
Throughout its modern history Dartington has invited creative people from around the world to its rural estate, encouraging them to conceive, develop and test promising ideas in a wide variety of fields. This 'Dartington Experiment' has made significant contributions to the nation and the world either through its own activities or the inspiration it has provided for others.
Common to all its activities is a distinctive culture and place that derives its inspiration from its founders, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst.
this culture can be defined by the following values:
- that individual and collective creativity is the well spring of human progress.
- that innovation requires freedom to take risks and time to reflect.
- that diversity broadens perspectives and stimulates imagination.
- that learning by doing educates the whole person
- that mastery of craft enhances intellectual understanding and artistic expression.
- that enterprise and creativity can flourish together
- that being in a place of beauty liberates the mind and spirit
Above all, Dartington changes people's lives. It does so by providing a place where inspired ideas can be realised through imagination, exploration, reflection and practice.
Programmes of Work
Arts: At a time when many experience the arts only as members of an audience, Dartington provides opportunities for people of all ages, including amateurs and professionals, to participate in the belief that active engagement with the arts nourishes the human spirit.
Ecology: Believing that environmental protection and economic development should be complementary goals, Dartington supports educational programmes in ecology that promote sustainable ways of living for individuals and communities, leading to responsible environmental policies for institutions.
Social Justice: Recognising the gap between policy, practice and research, Dartington sponsors knowledge-based programmes that strengthen the use of research evidence to improve outcomes for children and adults.
Enterprise: Dartington engages in profitable commercial enterprises that complement and enhance our charitable activities.
The Place: Dartington maintains and renews its estate as a place of beauty, providing support and inspiration for the people and programmes
The Dartington Hall Trust's Strategic Aims
In pursuit of our mission we have identified a number of strategic aims that we will measure our progress against until 2008.
Development aims
1. Creating a national centre of excellence in music and the arts
2. Setting up a rural Arts Park to support sustainable employment for creative talent
3. Inspiring new thinking based on an ecological world-view
4. Expanding the range and scope of research utilisation in social justice services
5. Developing a residential fellowship programme
6. Supporting a third craft education service at Dartington
7. Encouraging sustainable land use projects on the Dartington Estate
Enabling aims
8. Achieving sustainable financial balance by 2008
9. Improving our capacity to identify and support inspired new ideas and initiatives
10. Ensuring the Trust’s estate, core properties, garden and historic sites are fit for purpose
11. Upgrading our information management to better capture and encourage learning, from our past and present activities.
12. Improving our communication capabilities to better represent the work and influence of Dartington's activities.
13. Creating a unified Dartington Estate with Dartington College of Arts and other activities on the estate.
The Dartington Hall Trust is a registered charity no. 279756. Company no. 1485560
Registered Office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL United Kingdom.
Telephone 01803 847000; Fax 01803 847007;