Welcome
Dartington Trust is a centre for progressive learning in arts, ecology and social justice based on a 1,200 acre campus near Totnes.
What’s On
For the latest news on dining, getaways, plus our gardens, shops and much beside, head to our Visit section.
Below are some selected highlights from our programme. For our full calendar of events, click here >
ways with words
8 – 17 Jul: A ten-day ‘festival of words and ideas’ that’s engaging, thought-provoking, enlightening and challenging.
Mike Westbrook
26 Jun: Join us for what promises to be a mesmerising solo performance from “one of Britain’s most creative, experimental and daring jazz composers” (The Times).
short courses
Arts, crafts, farming, viticulture, wellbeing and much more: discover our exciting, transformative short course programme.
Learning at Dartington
We offer transformative learning, at undergraduate and postgraduate level, delivered by world-class tutors in a truly unique campus experience.
Our learning is delivered through two faculties: Schumacher College, which has been at the forefront of engaging ecological, economic, and social challenges for over 30 years, and Dartington Arts School, which draws on our rich international heritage and our wealth of dance, theatre, music and art studios to deliver compelling courses for a fast-changing world.
We offer a variety of opportunities for part-time learning, with courses ranging from a few hours, to weekly classes, to longer residential experiences.
Schumacher College delivers a unique brand of small-group, residential experiences which embrace themes of ecology, wellbeing, and sustainability. Our programme of arts courses spans music, performance, writing, dance, and contemporary visual art. And a wide, exciting range of craft courses run year-round in collaboration with over 50 makers from across the south west and beyond.
A variety of other programmes run throughout the year – including four weeks of shared music making, learning and listening at our renowned Dartington Music Summer School & Festival.
Learning is the beating heart of our year-round programme of events, which spans genres from film to craft to exhibitions.
We programme a blend of virtual and in-person events, many of which are free or by donation. Throughout the year, you’ll also find festivals that focus on themes of arts, ecology and social justice.
Learning at Dartington is mainly delivered through the courses and events we offer year-round, but a range of resources are also available online to help get a flavour of what we offer.
Schumacher College has an wide range of talks and interviews available on their YouTube channel, and our long-running online Earth Talk series is also available in full to watch online.
You can read the latest learning-related news here, and explore the history of the estate online here.
Other resources include our Arts and Learning podcast channel, which includes playlists such as our Laser Talks – inspired by the school climate strikes, Dark Mountain and Extinction Rebellion.
Latest news & blogs
Finding a better wheat for the future
Our horticulture team at Schumacher College are taking part in trials through the South West Grain Network to find new strains of wheat that are grown more effectively in our climate. We catch up with Michael Cooper, one of our horticulture interns this year to find out more…
Trees are not the magic bullet to address climate change
In a month when members of the public have been urged to ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’, our conservation warden Mike Newby advises that while trees are valuable at capturing carbon, using our land to address climate change needs a more complex approach.
Government’s food strategy maintaining the status quo – but at what cost?
In response to the Government Food Strategy published today, we consider the lack of detail and focus on developing authentically regenerative practices, and the need for a thoughtful, holistic approach with more immediately tangible action points.
celebrating 30 years of schumacher college
A programme of events and initiatives to mark 30 years of leading the way in transformative education – spearheaded by our Bursary Campaign, which aims to equip the next generation with the tools to address the social, environmental and economic challenges we all face.
Follow us
Follow Dartington Hall’s social media exploits for regular updates on all our events and activity
Berryman's Marsh, the rewilded wetland that runs alongside the lower drive, humming with life in the midsummer sun today. Tomorrow night we welcome Devon farmer-turned-rewilder @derekjgow to @dartingtontrustbooks. Derek’s first book, Bringing Back the Beaver, was a riotously funny and subversive account of his single-handed reintroduction of the beaver in Britain. His latest, Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, tells the story of his rewilding journey and his work to save many more species by transforming his farm into a wildlife breeding centre. He now houses beavers, white storks, water voles, lynx, wildcats, and harvest mice, with the aim of releasing them into the wild one day. Tickets for this event are free - book online at dartington.org. @chelseagreenbooks
Our lovely food shop down at @theciderpresscentre is undergoing a big revamp, with lots of new locally sourced goodies, providing a showcase for some amazing artisan producers such as Totnes based @fresh_flour who make delicious handmade pasta and crackers using Dartmoor water and Devon grown stone ground wheat flour, resulting in a pasta that is both traditional and cutting-edge.
Another favourite is South Molton’s @quincehoneyfarm - makers of arguably the best honey in the world! And they have planted a whopping 6,130 trees since 2019 – quite something to be proud of.
We have many more quality producers to introduce to you – why not come and see for yourself?
Starting this Friday at the Barn Cinema Emma Thompson’s new film, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. This film shows the unexpected bond of two very different characters in this hilariously, heart-warming, sex-positive tale of empowerment and self-discovery. With Killer reviews, don’t miss this refreshing and very funny film, playing every day throughout next week. Book your tickets now!
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Nothing quite like taking a @greentablecafe freshly made lemonade for an estate stroll in the glorious sunshine. Word on the grapevine is we have got a new slushie machine and will be making fresh (ie no gross blue syrup) fruit slushies v soon 👀
Campsite is looking incredible (putting Glasto in the shade!), was great to meet some happy folk on the site. Spread the word if you have friends or family coming to the area this summer!
And of course the gardens are pretty much peak bloom in many areas right now, still so verdant and lush.
A word of caution: if you are coming to enjoy the estate in this heat and throughout summer, please be sure not to light fires and BBQs. We have come close to some pretty horrendous wildfires over the last few years. 🙏🏻
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