We are closed for Christmas from 21 December 2024 to 28 January 2025 for conservation cleaning. 

Torre Abbey Café is also currently closed, we apologise for any inconvenience (our Café is seasonal: April - October) 

The World Class Artists of St Ives come to Torre Abbey Museum

An exhibition selected from the Arts Council Collection

Continuing a year of exciting and dynamic touring exhibitions and record breaking visitor numbers, Torre Abbey Museum welcomes The Artists of St. Ives this autumn. On loan from the Arts Council Collection and featuring world renowned artists such as Ben Nicholson, Alfred Wallis, Barbara Hepworth, Paul Feiler and Terry Frost, The Artists of St Ives Exhibition comes to Torre Abbey Museum from Saturday 8 September to Sunday 25 November.

Displayed across the museum’s galleries and the ballroom, the exhibition boasts a diverse mix of contemporary visual art and is a must see for artists and art fans alike. The St Ives Society of Artists were a group of artists whose remarkable output was inspired by living and working in the Cornish town of St Ives following the First World War. The artists were at the forefront of a movement which expressed ideas through painting and sculpture and established a focus for modern and abstract British art from the 1940s to the 1960s.

Cllr Nicole Amil, Executive Lead for Tourism, Culture and Harbours, said: “This is a must see exhibition. St Ives has been a melting pot of inspiration for artists for over 100 years. The draw of the breath-taking scenery, and the rich colours that reflect off the crystal clear seas, makes St Ives the perfect place for artists to express their creative talents. Once again, another wonderful coup for Torre Abbey Museum.”

Jill Constantine, Director, Arts Council Collection, said: "The beautiful west country has inspired artists for generations, none more so than the St Ives group of sculptors and painters, of which we are proud to have a large number represented in the Collection. Their contribution to British art is hugely important and it seems highly appropriate that their work will be seen and enjoyed in the historic setting of Torre Abbey Museum at the heart of the region.”

The Artists of St Ives meets the Artists of the English Riviera!

To coincide with the exhibition, Devon Open Studios is showcasing the talent and creative lives of artists living in Devon from Friday 14 September to Sunday 30 September. The Spanish Barn will be hosting a free exhibition featuring a spectacular display of works by Torbay artists. Organised in partnership with Brixham Art Society, DEVON ART Society, Paignton Arts & Crafts Society and the Torbay Guild of Artists, the exhibition includes a working studio with guest artists demonstrating their crafts each day.

You will also have the opportunity meet artists face-to-face and join workshops and create your own artwork. Every week artwork from two people will be selected to receive a yearly annual pass for Torre Abbey Museum.

For more information on the exhibitions and other exciting events visit our What's On section.

PR7776 - published on 5 September 2018