Welcome
We are a charity delivering progressive learning programmes in the arts, ecology and social justice. Our beautiful 1,200-acre estate is a vibrant year-round visitor destination.
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 >
barn cinema
Arthouse, kids’ films, blockbusters, live theatre streamings and more – find out what’s coming up at our beautiful independent venue.
short courses
Arts, crafts, farming, viticulture, wellbeing and much more: discover our exciting, transformative short course programme.
MARTIN CARTHY
10 Feb: We welcome “arguably the greatest English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all” (Q Magazine) to the Great Hall.
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
Winter gardening for wellbeing
Jane Gleeson explains how getting to know your garden during the ‘slumber months’ can benefit both your own health and your outdoor space.
Finding your voice
Anna Partridge reflects on this enriching weekend course, led by conductor, pianist and vocal coach Ruairi Edwards.
8 Short Course Highlights of 2022
This week we’ve finished our run of festive workshops, which means that after over 60 events this year’s short course programme has drawn to a close! So with a few weeks until Christmas, it feels like the perfect time to share with you some of our favourite courses and workshops from 2022.
Follow us
Follow our social media exploits for regular updates on all our events and activity
We are excited to announce a season of exceptional new theatre at Dartington >>> We have partnered with some of the best theatre companies in the country to bring you Past Futures, a collection of fantastic shows that examine our relationship with the past and the future.
THE WINSTON MACHINE by Kandinsky Theatre >>> 2 - 3 MARCH
★★★★★ “Unmissable! Exceptional & innovative”
- Everything Theatre
The new show from internationally-renowned Kandinsky, asks 'what happens when there’s no war left to fight'?
www.dartington.org/event/the-winston-machine/
THE ENDLING by @strangefutures_theatre >>> 16 MARCH
★★★★ "This is something seriously exciting”
- The Stage
What if you were the last of the human species? The Endling takes us a joyous journey to the end of civilisation.
www.dartington.org/event/the-endling-strange-futures-theatre-company/
THREE ACRES AND A COW >>> 5 MAY
A history of land rights and protest in folk song and story. Part TED talk, part history lecture, part folk club sing-a-long, part storytelling session… Come and share in these tales as they have been shared for generations.
www.dartington.org/event/three-acres-and-a-cow/
DEAD CATS by @proto_typetheater >>> 19 MAY
"Coolly reasoned theatre, produced with stylish aplomb."
-The Guardian
A socially engaged exploration of power, democracy, truthtelling, protest, privacy, conspiracy, and control..
www.dartington.org/event/dead-cats-proto-type-theater/
#dartingtonhall #dartington #totnes #theatre #LiveTheatre #arts
When it comes to food, we want to turn the misconception that it should always be immediately consumable on its head. Rather than funnelling much of the growing and preparation out of sight, we've placed food right at the heart of our activities, with teams working towards ultra-sustainable practices focussed as much as possible on local and responsible sourcing (much of it grown on the estate itself), seasonal menus and ground-saving courses in regenerative and agroecological approaches to market gardening and small farm futures.
Pictured are some of our wonderful students and staff doing interesting things with edible items.
📷 Sam Chevallier
feat. Horticulture Intern @swampy9000 @schumachercollege Chef @juliamarypons & ex(😭)-Head Gardener @columpawson
#foodie #food #dartington #slowfood #regenerativefarming #regenerativeagricture #kitchengarden
Happy birthday to Dorothy Elmhirst, founder of the Dartington Trust who was born on this day in 1887. Dorothy Payne Elmhirst (née Whitney) is the inspiration behind so much of what has gone on here in education, the arts and rural regeneration over the past 100 years, and the American-born social activist and philanthropist continues to be a guiding light for our progressive education @schumachercollege and our active arts programme. The photos are all from the Dartington archive.
📷
1: Dorothy Elmhirst in the late 1930s
2: Leonard and Dorothy with their daughter Ruth underneath the 14th century arches on the Private Lawn.
3: Dorothy entering the Great Hall
4: Dorothy on a picnic with possibly Mrs Nicholson and Dorcas Edwards
#dartington #archive #otd #onthisday #archivephoto
Are you new to the Dartington Music Summer School? Here's how it works!
For nearly 70 years, Summer School has brought together the very best performers, teachers, creators and innovators, who give generously their time, expertise and artistry to fill Dartington with music.
Broad backgrounds and a shared passion define the Summer School community: from young musicians at the start of their careers to enthusiastic amateurs of all ages, families trying something new to established professional artists. From early music to jazz, baroque to folk, the course programme offers participants the ability to explore their own musical interests, practise, perform and collaborate. Courses are also accompanied by over 60 concerts and events that bring hundreds of people together to celebrate the power of music.
Most participants book a Courses and Concerts Pass for the week of their choice. This gives full access to the programme to build a personalised timetable, with three slots each day from more than 20 week-long courses every week. Courses are colour-coded into Vocal, Instrumental, Composition, Conducting and Future Sounds.
Explore our rich programme at dartington.org/summer-school and follow @dartingtonarts for more posts about Summer School and Festival 2022!
Image description: Baroque Orchestra, Summer School 2022 📸 @kate_mount_photographer
#dartingtonmusic #dartingtonsummerschool #classicalmusic #summerschool #summer2023