Digswell Arts Trust
Encyclopedia
Digswell Arts Trust was the brainchild of Henry Morris
, a pioneering educationalist. Through his enthusiasm, dedication and influence he persuaded the Government and the Welwyn Garden City
Development Corporation to establish a Trust for professional artists in Welwyn Garden City, England.
It was formally inaugurated by Countess Mountbatten
on 29 May 1957.
Digswell House, a decayed Regency
mansion with cottages and outbuildings on the edge of Welwyn Garden City
, was the first home of Trust.
The house was leased to the Trust to provide accommodation and studios for artists at a modest rent.
The first artists moved in at the end of 1957 and over the next 27 years nearly 150 were accommodated there.
Some, including Michael Andrews
, Ralph Brown, John Brunsdon
, James Butler
, Peter Collingwood
, Hans Coper
, Lol Coxhill
, Elizabeth Fritsch
& John W Mills have become internationally famous.
Many other distinguished people including - Henry Moore
, Herbert Read
, and Roland Penrose
, supported the Trust by becoming Trustees or in other important ways.
In the early 1980s the Trust was financially unable to continue at Digswell House which was sold for refurbishment and was divided into a number of separate apartments.
, had been leased in 1979 by the Trust as additional studio space.The Barn became the Trust's base from 1984 until April 2006.
English Partnerships
had by then taken control of the barn planning to convert it to housing. They worked with the Trust to design a new purpose-built studio building on the site of the former forge in Digswell, on which a 25 year lease was taken in April 2006.
In 1993 the Stevenage
Borough Council leased the Fairlands Valley Farmhouse to the Trust nearly doubling the available studio space. Digswell Arts Trust now has space for abut 30 artists.
Henry Morris (education)
Henry Morris is known primarily as the founder of Village Colleges. He was the Chief Education Officer for Cambridgeshire for over thirty years, taking up the post in 1922 during a time of depression in the United Kingdom following the First World War.-Early life:Morris was born in Southport in...
, a pioneering educationalist. Through his enthusiasm, dedication and influence he persuaded the Government and the Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City
-Economy:Ever since its inception as garden city, Welwyn Garden City has attracted a strong commercial base with several designated employment areas. Among the companies trading in the town are:*Air Link Systems*Baxter*British Lead Mills*Carl Zeiss...
Development Corporation to establish a Trust for professional artists in Welwyn Garden City, England.
It was formally inaugurated by Countess Mountbatten
Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma
Edwina Cynthia Annette Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma,, GBE, DCVO, CI, DStJ was an English heiress, socialite, relief-worker, wife of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, and last Vicereine of India.- Lineage and wealth :Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma...
on 29 May 1957.
Early years
Digswell House, a decayed Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
mansion with cottages and outbuildings on the edge of Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City
-Economy:Ever since its inception as garden city, Welwyn Garden City has attracted a strong commercial base with several designated employment areas. Among the companies trading in the town are:*Air Link Systems*Baxter*British Lead Mills*Carl Zeiss...
, was the first home of Trust.
The house was leased to the Trust to provide accommodation and studios for artists at a modest rent.
The first artists moved in at the end of 1957 and over the next 27 years nearly 150 were accommodated there.
Some, including Michael Andrews
Michael Andrews (artist)
Michael Andrews was a British painter.-Life and work:Michael Andrews was born in Norwich, England, the second child of Thomas Victor Andrews and his wife Gertrude Emma Green. He completed his two years' National service between 1947 and 1949, nineteen months of which was spent in Egypt...
, Ralph Brown, John Brunsdon
John Brunsdon
John Brunsdon ARCA is a British printmaker. He was born in Cheltenham in 1933.He studied at Cheltenham College of Art from 1949 to 1953 and the Royal College of Art from 1955 to 1958....
, James Butler
James Butler (artist)
James Walter Butler MBE RA is a British sculptor.Butler was educated at Maidstone Grammar School and studied art at St Martin's School of Art and the Royal College of Art. For 10 years he was a professional stone carver. He taught sculpture and drawing at the City and Guilds of London Art School...
, Peter Collingwood
Peter Collingwood
Peter Collingwood is a British television actor.Roles include Lord John Russell in Edward the Seventh and Mr. Dunkley in Are You Being Served?.- External links :...
, Hans Coper
Hans Coper
Hans Coper , was an influential German-born British studio potter. His work is often coupled with that of Lucie Rie due to their close association, even though their best known work differs dramatically, with Rie's being more functional and traditional, while Coper's was much more abstract and...
, Lol Coxhill
Lol Coxhill
Lowen Coxhill, generally known as Lol Coxhill is a free improvising saxophonist and raconteur...
, Elizabeth Fritsch
Elizabeth Fritsch
Elizabeth Fritsch MA CBE is a British studio potter. Her hand built painted pots are often influenced by music, painting, literature and architecture. Fritsch studied harp and then piano at the Royal Academy of Music from 1958 to 1964, but later took up ceramics under Hans Coper and Eduardo...
& John W Mills have become internationally famous.
Many other distinguished people including - Henry Moore
Henry Moore
Henry Spencer Moore OM CH FBA was an English sculptor and artist. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art....
, Herbert Read
Herbert Read
Sir Herbert Edward Read, DSO, MC was an English anarchist, poet, and critic of literature and art. He was one of the earliest English writers to take notice of existentialism, and was strongly influenced by proto-existentialist thinker Max Stirner....
, and Roland Penrose
Roland Penrose
Sir Roland Algernon Penrose CBE was an English artist, historian and poet. He was a major promoter and collector of modern art and an associate of the surrealists in the United Kingdom.- Biography :...
, supported the Trust by becoming Trustees or in other important ways.
In the early 1980s the Trust was financially unable to continue at Digswell House which was sold for refurbishment and was divided into a number of separate apartments.
1980s - Present Day
Attimore Hall Barn, a restored 17th century listed building in the Panshangar area of Welwyn Garden CityWelwyn Garden City
-Economy:Ever since its inception as garden city, Welwyn Garden City has attracted a strong commercial base with several designated employment areas. Among the companies trading in the town are:*Air Link Systems*Baxter*British Lead Mills*Carl Zeiss...
, had been leased in 1979 by the Trust as additional studio space.The Barn became the Trust's base from 1984 until April 2006.
English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
had by then taken control of the barn planning to convert it to housing. They worked with the Trust to design a new purpose-built studio building on the site of the former forge in Digswell, on which a 25 year lease was taken in April 2006.
In 1993 the Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
Borough Council leased the Fairlands Valley Farmhouse to the Trust nearly doubling the available studio space. Digswell Arts Trust now has space for abut 30 artists.