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A Brief History...
The Digswell Arts Trust was founded in 1957 by Henry Morris, the revolutionary educationalist,
who was also a great enthusiast for the arts. Morris passionately believed in art for people, and
maintained that artists were vital for the well-being of society. Through his energy, dedication
and influence he established a Trust for emerging professional artists. Digswell House, the first
home of the Trust, gave its name to the organisaton, and was a regency mansion with cottages
and outbuildings which provided artists’ accommodation, studios and workshops for the
selected artists, who were designated “Fellows”.
Since then, Digswell has grown to be the largest studio provider in the East of England and still
focuses on artists and maker/producers in the early phase of their careers. Via studios in
Letchworth, Stevenage and Welwyn, the Trust provides studios for approximately forty
Digswell Fellows, who for three – five years’ experience a collaborative and supporting
environment, the space to experiment and innovate within a creative community of other
Fellows who are developing both their art practice as well as their commercial skills. At the end
of their time at the Trust, Fellows have a solid basis on which to pursue their artistic careers.
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