Dartington: a place to play, live and learn…

Dartington is an old place with a new story. It is a beautiful place to visit, but it has always been much more than that. It attracts people with big ideas who want to change the world.

The Dartington Experiment began over 90 years ago when the founders of Dartington Hall, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, arrived on the Devon estate in 1925. Intrigued by the idea of a ‘many-sided’ life, these two progressive activists set out to restore the ruined medieval Hall and estate, and build a community of artists, students, craftspeople, and farmers. Their work, rooted in the local community, had a huge impact on the world outside Dartington – deeply involved as it was in the foundation of the NHS and the welfare state, the Arts Council, agricultural reforms and much more.

Today, the Dartington Estate continues to thrive: visitors enjoy the arts programme, cinema, gardens, and wider estate; artists, makers, farmers, educators, craftspeople and entrepreneurs live and work; and the community continues to ‘learn by doing’ – finding inspiration in the Elmhirst’s progressive ideas and experimental approach.

We have ambitious plans for the future.  We plan to create new platforms for learning, discourse and the exchange of ideas – all with a focus on meeting challenges of the modern age.  We want to enhance the experience of visiting the estate by restoring and improving buildings, establishing a learning campus, reinvigorating the famous gardens and building new spaces – including pioneering homes, an eco-hotel, and an interpretation centre (an innovative new type of museum). We will continue to use our land imaginatively, encouraging experimental farming and developing an exciting centre for artisan food for visitors and the community to enjoy.

Our world is full of creative, progressive and ambitious ideas waiting to be brought to life.  We hope you will follow our progress, get in touch and come to visit us.

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Girl at play

We welcome thousands of visitors every year. There is entertainment, including a popular arts programme and busy cinema, as well as shops, a hotel and restaurants to explore.

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Our community of people living and working on the estate bring it alive. From farmers to artists to business people, we are all influenced by the beauty and unique spirit of the area.

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There are lots of opportunities for learning – both formal and informal. We encourage ambitious, bold thinking, and the space to dare to imagine a better world.

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