PLACES TO VISIT
Tate St Ives
Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Tate St Ives is an iconic gallery offering an fascinating excursion for art students.
St Michael's Mount
Just a stone's throw away from the cornish coast, St Michael's Mount is the English counterpart to the larger Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France.
Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden
Opened in 1976 and run by Tate since 1980, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden showcases the largest collection of her work at Trewyn Studio, where she lived and worked from 1949 until her death in 1975.
Bernard Leach Pottery
The Leach Pottery, founded by Bernard Leach, is regarded as the birthplace of British studio pottery and played a key role in shaping modern ceramic art worldwide.
St Ives Museum
St Ives Museum showcases the town’s rich heritage across eight rooms, featuring collections on local industries, maritime history, art, geology, wartime memorabilia and more, including the original fish-curing cellar.
Eden Project
The world's largest rainforest in captivity is housed in gigantic, greenhouse-like structures, offering students a chance to study plants unlike anything native to the UK.
Itinerary Example
4-Day Art & Design Focus: St Ives, Modern British Masters & Cornish Coast
Discover the birthplace of Modern British sculpture and studio pottery. Designed for Art & Design, 3D Design, and Creative Arts travellers, this 4-day Cornish residential explores world-renowned galleries, coastal landscapes, and famous artist studios—offering firsthand inspiration from the natural light, form, and texture of West Cornwall.
Day 1: Journey to Cornwall & Coastal Inspiration (Art & Design Focus)
Day 1
Morning/Afternoon: Depart your organisation by executive coach for your journey to West Cornwall. En-route arrival time permitting, enjoy an afternoon sketchbook walk along the coastal path or harbour in St Ives.
Evening: Check into your local accommodation centre and relax before enjoying a group dinner at a local restaurant (included in tour price).
Day 2: Modern Masters, Form & Sculpture (Modern Art & Sculpture Focus)
Day 2
Morning: Depart after breakfast for a visit to Tate St Ives overlooking Porthmeor Beach, exploring iconic modern collections and contemporary exhibitions.
Afternoon: Following lunch, visit the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden to step inside Trewyn Studio, view original carving tools, and examine bronze sculptures integrated into her private garden.
Evening: Group dinner at a local restaurant, followed by a seaside evening walk or debrief session.
Day 3: Studio Pottery, Coastal Formations & Heritage (Craft & Landscape Focus)
Day 3
Morning: Depart after breakfast to visit The Bernard Leach Pottery, exploring the historic studio, original climbing kiln, and the global legacy of studio ceramics.
Afternoon: Spend the afternoon sketching and analyzing natural textures along Cornwall's dramatic coastline—with a visit to St Michael’s Mount at Marazion or the granite cliffs at Land’s End.
Evening: Final group dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate the trip.
Day 4: Departure & Homeward Journey (Return to your organisation)
Day 4
Morning: Check out of accommodation after breakfast and pack the coach.
Afternoon/Evening: Complete the return journey back to your organisation, bringing home rich observational research, sketches, and project ideas.
Optional En-Route Visits & Extensions
Depending on your organisation's location, timetable, and exam board syllabus, popular add-on stops for this itinerary include:
Penwith Gallery (St Ives): Visit the historic home of the Penwith Society of Arts to view contemporary Cornish fine art, ceramics, and sculpture.
Minack Theatre (Porthcurno): Sketch the open-air theatre carved directly into the granite ocean cliffs.
Kurt Jackson Museum (St Just): Explore contemporary environmental landscape art celebrating Cornish nature and heritage.
Eden Project (St Austell): Stop en route to sketch tropical architecture, biomes, and organic forms for natural form project modules.
Note on Itinerary Timings: Available visit time on Day 1 depends on your your organisation's departure location and travel distance to Cornwall.
PLACES TO STAY
Cohort Hostel
The Cohort Hostel in St Ives provides a clean, secure environment for your class to learn, ensuring that you have everything you need from catering sized pots & pans through to fast, reliable WiFi.