Find My Activities

At the moment you’re seeing all our itinerary suggestions for a school trip to St Ives; to refine what you see please click the relevant filters. To save your search download a pdf and keep it on your desktop as a reference.

Please note that all prices are for guidance only and are subject to change. If you’d like more detail on anything do get in touch with the relevant supplier or email us on hello@stayatcohort.co.uk.

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Ben Nicholson Walking Tour (self-led)

Ben Nicholson (1894–1982) was one of the most radical British artists of the twentieth century and has long been recognised as a leading exponent of the modern movement in Britain.

This multimedia walking tour takes you through St Ives, connecting places and spaces in and around the town to Nicholson, his work and his life.

Free

Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden

Barbara Hepworth lived and worked in Trewyn studios – now the Barbara Hepworth Museum – from 1949 until her death in 1975. Following her wish to establish her home and studio as a museum of her work, Trewyn Studio and much of the artist’s work remaining there was given to the nation and placed in the care of the Tate Gallery in 1980.

Visit this amazingly peaceful place and wonder at the art still in the same position as the artist herself placed them in.

Free for U18s if booked as a group in advance

Botanical Monoprint workshop

Students will be taught about how to print surface textures of natural materials such as plants/flowers and wallpapers to create beautiful work to go towards school projects. 

Working with artist educator Annabel Wilkes, they will have the opportunity to learn about different colour ways related to Cornwall, compositions and how to layer inks to make beautiful prints. Students will take away around 6 unique prints of their own.

Groups of up to 15 (maximum). Workshop lasts 2 hours. Recommended for students aged 14+. Teachers need to be present with students.

£15/student includes all materials

Atmospheric Mixed Media Painting

Pioneering abstract painter Sandra Blow often used tea, cement, sawdust and burlap to create coarse textures and an earthy palette to her paintings.

Join artist educator Rowena Tarplee who will lead you through experimenting with mixed media and colour to create your own textured and dynamic landscape or abstract painting inspired by your trip to St.Ives. 

Key skills: texture, relief, abstract, composition, colour, light, painting & colour mixing.

Suitable for all ages. All materials provided. Duration: 2 hours. Download the details of this workshop HERE.

£15/student + room hire if applicable

Assemblage Workshop in the style of Margaret Mellis

Scottish artist Margaret Mellis was a pivotal figure in Modern British Art and was one of the first to settle in St.Ives.  She created abstract constructions, paintings, collages and later driftwood assemblages exploring colour, form and structure.

In this workshop, students are supplied with a wide variety of found objects including flotsam, jetsam and driftwood. Led by artist educator and practitioner, Rowena Tarplee, they will then experiment with creating their own interesting abstract compositions in the style of Mellis, inspired by the harbour and with links to the environment.

Students make a photographic record of their assemblages to print at a later date for their sketchbooks. Students will then have the opportunity to explore mixed media paper collage in the style of Mellis’ paper and card constructs. 

Time: 2 hrs. All materials are supplied. Download details of this workshop HERE.

£10/student (minimum cost of workshop £190)

Photography Walking Tour

Professional photographer Chris Webber will take you on an interactive photography tour of St Ives. Not only will you get the opportunity to learn more about St Ives and hidden secret places but Chris will also instruct you how to get the best out of your camera; whether you are using a Smart Phone or DLSR you’re guaranteed to come away with some great shots.

2 – 3 hours.

£180/tour <20 students

Cyanotype Natural Forms workshop

Students will experience an exciting morning or afternoon discovering the magic of cyanotype printing using the sun or a lightbox to expose natural materials onto pre pared photographic paper.

Annabel prepares a light sensitive paper using a solution and guides students through the process to develop beautiful blue images onto the paper. She will teach students about this traditional method of photography and how to experiment further with exciting alternative techniques. Each student will create around 5 prints as well as a small illustrated booklet for their school portfolio.

Groups of up to 15 (maximum). Workshop lasts 2 hours. Recommended for students aged 14+. Teachers need to be present with students.

£15/student includes all materials

Jackson Foundation Gallery

The Jackson Foundation is a unique, ambitious and award-winning art-space celebrating and championing arts and the natural world.

The Foundation was set up by leading contemporary artist Kurt Jackson and his wife Caroline and hosts an annual programme of quality contemporary exhibitions, working in partnership with a variety of environmental and non-profit organisations.

Oliver West

Oliver has been offering Printmaking workshops in Cornwall since 1995. His interest in making etchings directly in the landscape drew him into unique methods of making prints without having to leave his favourite environment, the great outdoors! With the use of his mobile printmaking studio Oliver has worked with numerous school groups over the years, enabling students of all ages to experience the thrill of proofing prints in situ. He loves to encourage a more intuitive response to landscape, which promotes a rich experience of being in this beautiful part of the world.

Visit his websites HERE (printmaking) and HERE (monoprinting)

As a visual thinking specialist, Oliver can also offer aspects of the Footnotes Visual Program as a further way of enabling all kinds of thinking styles to respond to environments in their own unique way.

£20-39/student depending on activity; see individual listings for details

St Ives School of Painting

Established in 1938 the St Ives School of Painting is situated in one of the most stunning locations in the world. The school offers inspiring workshops from their roster of working artists. They cover a wide variety of disciplines from Acrylic to Drawing and Mixed Media to Oils.

For smaller groups (<15/18) this is a unique 1/2 or 1 day activity for your most promising art students.

£25 - 40 per person

Pigments & Paints Workshop

Get Neolithic with environmental artist and woodsman Greg Humphries!

Meeting at Cohort you will go into the wild Cornish landscape to gather visual imagery, then return to Cohort to grind your own pigments and mix your own paint.

Greg will then show you several techniques, moving back in time from modern art to cave painting, which will give you the opportunity to create your own beautiful and interesting artworks.

Duration: 2 – 3 hours. Ages: 14+. Maximum number of students: 18.

£250/workshop including materials

Tate St Ives

Discover the magic of Tate St Ives, where art meets stunning coastal views. Immerse yourself in both the current exhibition and the permanent collection of St Ives Artists, including works by renowned painters such as Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson.

School groups of all ages can explore this amazing space independently or with a Tate gallery guide, discovering the stories behind the artworks and the artists who created them.

After recently undergoing a transformative renovation, Tate St Ives has earned its place on the international art scene, making it a must-visit destination for everyone. Located on the site of the old gas works in St Ives, this gallery boasts one of the most beautiful settings in the world.

Open year-round (except for November-February when closed on Mondays), a trip to St Ives simply isn’t complete without a visit to Tate St Ives.

The visit for students under 19 is always free however they do offer a number of paid-for workshops, view / download the options HERE.

Free for U19s if booked as a group in advance. Pay £8.50/staff member (free for Cornish schools staff)

Monoprinting Workshop

Landscape Printmaker Oliver West offers a choice of three versatile mono-printing processes. Suitable for any age group as it can be offered as simply or elaborately as desired. Mono-printing is great for image making directly in the landscape as certain techniques can be used to take advantage of the current weather conditions.

These workshops are always fun, as this easy process quickly takes the activity of mark-making to another level. There is the element of surprise as the image is only revealed once the maker decides that its ready to print and peel!

Group size: 18 – 30. Timings: Half day. If you’d like to make a day of it two of these workshops can be run back-to-back and students can experience two types of monoprinting

£20/student. Includes all materials and access to the mobile printmaking set up

St Ives Archives

St Ives Archives, based in Carbis Bay (1 mile from St Ives) is a wealth of information about all things St Ives. For those studying art history within St Ives or those who would like some context for the town it’s a worthwhile visit.

Visits are by appointment only and suitable for no more than 2 or 3 people at a time.

Free

St Ives Society of Artists

Established in 1927 the St Ives Society of Artists’ exhibition programme features work chosen by guest curators as well as guest exhibitions offering a diverse mix of contemporary visual art.

Many of their exhibiting artists and members are workshop leaders and they offer a great variety of art workshops for schools and students of all ages and abilities. Printmaking to craft and fine art to figurative.

£10 - 20 per student

Barbara Hepworth Museum Sculpture Tour

Join artist Greg Humphries for a tour around the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. Bring a sketchbook and pencil for both 2D sketching and 3D practical activities that explore Hepworth’s work and ideas.

The workshop is designed for students at KS3, GCSE or A level. Greg has over 15 years experience working for Tate as a freelance artist educator. Click here to hear him talking about Hepworth alongside Tate curators.

Time: 2 – 3 hours. Maximum number of students: 20- 25 (limits set by the museum). For larger groups this can be done in conjunction with a group at Tate St Ives and a swap between the two half way through the day.

£190/workshop or £320 for two workshops on the same day (5% discount for groups of less than 20 students)

De Chirico & the Metaphysical Dreamscape

A perfect evening activity at Cohort for art students.

Come and explore the hugely influential paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, the grandfather of Surrealism, in this quirky animated arts documentary (55 minutes), by local St Ives animator, Shanty Baba.

Paintings full of deserted streets, shadows, passing trains and enigmas yet abounding with meaning.

Shanty will then lead a discussion afterwards on some of the issues raised, such as influences, plagiarism and fakes.

£60 for Film & Discussion

Minack Theatre (visits)

The Minack is a unique open air theatre perched on the cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean. Built by one extraordinary woman, Minack is an amazing place to visit in a spectacular setting.

Combine a visit with the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum for an awesome day out.

£5 per person

Newlyn Art Gallery Sketch Tour

These 90-minute sessions are led by a member of the Learning and Participation team. After a brief introduction to the exhibition, the group will be encouraged to discuss thoughts and opinions on the work and then to respond creatively.

Students must bring their own sketch books, all other materials are provided.

£8 per person

St Ives Art Exploration Day

Explore creativity with artist educator, Greg Humphries.

Let Greg take you on an immersive art journey through St Ives for the day. Pick two workshops from everything he offers (excl. Paints & Pigments) and he will weave them together with a mini workshop incorporating your preferred theme or focus.

Ideal for groups looking for an immersive day in St Ives and those looking to take full advantage of Greg’s incredible knowledge, enthusiasm and practices.

Group size max: 25 students (if including Tate and/or Hepworth as limits are set by the sites). Larger groups can be accommodated by splitting into smaller groups and swapping them throughout the day. Ideal for GCSE and A level groups but can be adapted for KS3.

Time: 10am – 4pm.

£390/day (5% discount for groups under 20)

Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens

In a beautiful sheltered valley, the woods, stream and dramatic vistas of Tremenheere provide a perfect setting for large-scale exotic and sub-tropical planting.

Interwoven with this there is also an evolving programme of contemporary artwork, internationally renowned artists such as James Turrell, David Nash and Richard Long have interacted with the setting to create site-specific permanent work that harmonises with the landscape.

Tremenheere is a 20 minute drive from St Ives and you will need transport to access the site.

£6/student (£4/student <15). £8.50/staff.

Barbara Hepworth Soap Sculpture

Join artist educator Rowena Tarplee for a workshop exploring scale, dimension form, space, light, perspective, surface and texture based on the work of Barbara Hepworth.

Make preliminary sketches in charcoal and pastel, then use carving techniques to sculpt your own abstract sculpture.

Suitable for all ages. All materials provided.

Maximum students: 16 – 20, depending on age range. Duration 2 hours.

£165/workshop plus room hire if applicable

Expressive Mark Making on Porthmeor Beach

In this workshop students create their own tools and paintbrushes out of natural materials such as feathers, seaweed and foliage (all provided). They experiment with expressive mark-making and texture using ink, charcoal and collage in response to the environment and landscape around them.

This then leads into colour studies using acrylic and oil pastels. Reference to artists such as Maggie Hambling and Peter Lanyon.

Running for approx. 2 hours this workshop can be extended to 3 hours by incorporating a mini-workshop on assemblage in the style of Margaret Mellis.

Rowena Tarplee is an experienced Art teacher and practitioner; she will work with you to ensure that the session is linked to your groups’ focus or themes and / or create a bespoke workshop package for the day. Download the details of this workshop HERE.

£15 per student (staff go free). All materials included.

The Leach Pottery

The Leach Pottery Schools programme is based on Bernard Leach’s belief that the most impactful and meaningful way to teach children about pottery is to engage them with the natural roots of the process. He writes, “They enjoy finding and digging their own clay, building their own kilns and making their own colours and glazes potters used to do before the machine age”.

The Leach Pottery offer a collection of creative workshops and tours for school groups for all ages (KS1 – KS5 and beyond) and abilities. Students discover the story of how the Leach Pottery revitalised the tradition of handmade pottery and, taking inspiration from the ceramics made by the Leach Pottery, will make their pottery as they learn about the journey clay makes from ground to kiln.

Visit their website for a comprehensive list of workshops and teacher resources.

Please note: Across 2024 the Leach Pottery will undergo capital development works to improve and expand our facilities and learning studios. At times it may not be possible to welcome groups onsite but the Learning & Participation programme will continue to offer workshops at other locations. Please get in touch to find out more.

Paper or Fabric Collage

Jo McIntosh is a Textile Artist and Workers Education Tutor living and working in St Ives. The work she produces includes hand-woven, knitted, felt items, jewellery and much more.

Jo runs art and crafts workshops on a variety of topics including knitting, crochet, weaving, feltmaking, papier-mâché and fabric dyeing.

During this workshop you will learn how to create a collage from an image (from a painting or photograph or may be inspired by the work of a St Ives artist). The collage could be made using paper from magazines or using fabric scraps and some simple handstitching.

Maximum group size: 15.

£90/half day or £160/full day + £5/person material costs + room hire charges if applicable

Falmouth University Activities

Falmouth University’s School & College Partnerships Programme is designed to support high quality creative provision in schools and colleges by offering a range of activities to inform and support students regarding their progression both into Higher Education and a creative career.

Falmouth University are able to offer you a fantastic day filled with:

  • Presentations, advice & guidance
  • Guest lectures, masterclasses and workshops across a wide variety of creative disciplines including Animation, Film, Photography, Fine Art, Textiles, Print Making, Fashion, Theatre & Dance, Gaming, Architecture, Event Management, Sustainable Festival Management, Sustainable Tourism Management, Interior Design and Sustainable Product Design
  • Campus tours

All activities can be linked to Gatsby benchmarking.

With phenomenal facilities and a superb, global reputation Falmouth University will not only enrich your trip itinerary through workshops they can provide, they will also offer your students a unique insight into university life.

It’s an inspirational day out and will cost you nothing!

Duration: 10am – 2/3pm. Group size <60. Suitable for Y10+.

Free

Newlyn Art Gallery Artist-led Activities

This full or half day artist led session will be directly informed by the current exhibition. It will begin with a tour and discussion, followed by a workshop responding to the exhibiting artist(s) and their work. The development of ideas and experimentation in methods and mediums is key to these sessions.

£145/half day £220/full day

Beach Sculpture Workshop

Join artist educator extraordinaire, Greg Humphries, on the beach for a fun, imaginative experience that will use sand as a sculpting material.

Tapping into our love of building sandcastles, Greg starts by demonstrating some sand sculpting techniques then sets a series of challenges that aim to creatively connect the group.

£190/workshop or £320 for two workshops on the same day (5% discount for groups of less than 20 students)

Dawn to Dusk Photography Workshop

Professional photographer Chris Webber will pick students up from the hostel for a photography workshop they are unlikely to forget.

During the workshop students will learn about aperture, shutter speed and ISO and how to achieve it in manual mode and image composition. By the end of workshop students will be more confident using their cameras manually as well as having gained a greater insight into balancing light within their camera.

3 – 4 hours.

£180/group <16 students

Expressive Clay Mask

Learn how to sculpt your own Expressive Clay Mask using air drying clay. Understand facial proportions, modelling techniques and surface decoration.

Rowena Tarplee is an experienced secondary Art teacher and Art practitioner and this workshop can be adapted to suit individual interests, projects and themes such as Expressionism, Multi-Cultural Art, Identify and Portraits.

Suitable for all ages. All materials provided. Duration: 3 hours. Download the details of this workshop HERE.

£15/student + room hire if applicable

Penlee House Gallery & Museum

Built in 1865 and set in the grounds of a sub-tropical garden in Penzance. Penlee House is home to many paintings by members of the Newlyn School. A programme of changing exhibitions celebrates the skill and craftsmanship of painting in west Cornwall in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They offer introductory talks for all school visits (free) and can organise workshops based on your themes and the National Curriculum. Penzance is a 30 minute bus / 20 minute coach ride from St Ives.

Free (small charge for workshops)

Newlyn Art Gallery & Exchange

Newlyn Art Gallery exists because of a long history of art making in West Cornwall; now Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange offers a wide and varied exhibition programme across the two sites. Groups are welcome to organise self-led visits and a member of the learning team will meet the group on arrival and provide them with an introduction to the gallery and exhibition.

Free for U18s if booked as a group in advance

Painting ‘En Plein Air’

Join artist educator extraordinaire, Greg Humphries, for a session painting out in the open air. Take in the wild Cornish cliffs, the golden sand beaches or the busy harbour using inks, gouache paint or acrylics.

Explore ideas and methods used by artists such as JMW Turner, Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon or Bryan Wynter.

Materials not included. 2 – 3 hours.

£190/workshop or £320 for two workshops on the same day (5% discount for groups of less than 20 students)

Dyeing Fabric with Indigo

Jo McIntosh is a Textile Artist and Workers Education Tutor living and working in St Ives. The work she produces includes hand-woven, knitted, felt items, jewellery and much more.

Jo runs art and crafts workshops on a variety of topics including knitting, crochet, weaving, feltmaking, papier-mâché and fabric dyeing.

During this workshop you will learn how to set up and use an Indigo vat to dye fabric as well as some tie dye techniques to create patterns onto the fabric.

Maximum group size: 15.

£90/half day or £160/full day + £5/person material costs + room hire charges if applicable

Tate St Ives Sketchbook Tour

Working as a specialist on the Tate Professional Register for over 13yrs Greg has delivered tours, lectures and workshops to groups and individuals.

The tour uses sketchbook challenges to take you on a journey through prominent artists and ideas of the 20th century referring to specific artworks in the gallery. Using fun and practical sketchbook challenges you will work in front of the artworks within the gallery.

Let Greg know any projects/themes you are currently working on and he can use them as points of reference throughout. Can be tailored for KS3 – KS5. 2 hours.

£190/workshop or £320 for two workshops on the same day (5% discount for groups of less than 20 students)

Sketch St Ives (self-led)

You’d be hard pushed to find a setting as picturesque as St Ives. From narrow, cobbled streets to breathtakingly beautiful seascapes. Whether your discipline is fine art, sculpture, graphic design or photography a good sketching session is a fantastic way to get to know St Ives and build foundation art skills.

If you don’t know the town and you’d like some help we can point out some great places to base your students which are both safe and offer phenomenal views.

Free

Drypoint Printmaking

Drypoint Engraving offers a perfect ‘wow factor’ experience for all kinds of mark makers, and provides an ideal opportunity for creatives to capture a first-hand response to landscape and the ever changing effects of light and weather conditions.

Using mobile workshop facilities, you will be working directly in the countryside preparing, making and proofing images. The mystery of not knowing quite how it will print until its rolled through the press helps to maintain a keen focus throughout the process. The images rarely disappoint as there’s always so much to be surprised by when the print is finally peeled from the plate. The crisp edge of the embossed print frames each image, making them a perfect art form to display in large groupings.

Oliver is used to hosting large groups in all kinds of weather conditions. Oftentimes the added influence of changeable weather conditions only adds to a more dynamic set of prints made.

Runs: 9.30am – 3.30pm. Group size: 18 – 35. Choose your location or pick from one of Oliver’s favourite spots. Timings and costings can be adjusted for smaller / larger groups.

This workshop is also available in the format of a ‘Fast Track Drypoint Printmaking’, a whistle-stop experience of this workshop. Group size: 15 – 28. Two workshops in one day.

Approx. £39/student, includes all materials and access to the mobile printing set up. £22/student for the Fast Track experience (half day)

Annabel Wilkes

Annabel is a practising printmaker and arts educator living and working in St Ives. She delivers art workshops for all ages and abilities at her studio in Newmill, near Zennor in Cornwall. She is also a learning facilitator at Tate St Ives and works as a tutor at St Ives School of Painting and Cornwall School of Art in Truro.

Annabel’s workshops are about using nature as a resource and having fun exploring printmaking as a medium. Annabel’s ethos is also about using art as a therapy and her intention is to enable children and adults to build confidence in themselves as creatives.

Annabel’s own work focuses on the use natural and refound materials collected from coastal walks and subtropical gardens in and around Cornwall. She prints from selected flora onto a variety of printmaking papers, sometimes mixing printmaking with alternative photographic processes. Annabel exhibits her work at the Penwith Gallery in St Ives and regularly takes part in Open Studios at her studio in Newmill.

See her website HERE and her Instagram page HERE.

St Ives Artist Sketchbook Tour

Join Greg Humphries on a walking tour around St Ives stopping at several locations around the town associated with artists such as Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Bryan Wynter, Alfred Wallis and Wilhemena Barns-Graham.

Explore their methods and ideas through practical challenges and sketchbook exercises that will help an understanding of abstraction and deliver a memorable experience.

£190/workshop or £320 for two workshops on the same day (5% discount for groups of less than 20 students)