The Creative Sanctuary symposium produced by Insiders / Outsiders Festival takes place online 20-21 October telling the story of Dartington Hall in Devon as an important place of sanctuary for refugees from Fascist Europe. Get your tickets on Eventbrite, £0-35, concessions available.

Dartington Hall, established by Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst in the late 1920s as a utopian agricultural and educational experiment, became a much-needed place of refuge for a significant number of eminent creative individuals, who because of their Jewish background and/or anti-fascist stance, were forced to leave Germany (and later, Austria) after 1933. Spanish Republicans fleeing the Spanish Civil War were also welcomed.

Comprising a lively mixture of illustrated talks straddling multiple art forms (fine and applied arts, architecture, dance and music), discussions, Q&A sessions and film screenings, the programme will be aimed at both a general and a specialist audience, local, national and international.

The symposium, which draws on the very latest archival researches by established and early career scholars alike, will fill a significant gap in twentieth century British cultural and social history.

For full details of the programme, including a breakdown of events and guest speakers, see the Eventbrite page.

The symposium is kindly supported by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, Shoresh Charitable Trust, the Elmgrant Trust and Counterpoints Arts.

Main image: Hans Keller teaching at Summer School of Music, Dartington Hall

Part of the Platforma festival 2023, produced by Counterpoints Arts and partners across the South West of England.