Hepworth studio open for the first time in 50 years
TATE St Ives is to open the doors to Barbara Hepworth’s former studio – the Palais de Danse – this week for the first time in almost 50 years.
Ahead of a £3.6 million project to renovate the historic space, local residents are being invited to drop in and hear more about plans to reimagine the building as a communityfocused heritage site that continues to expand on Hepworth’s extraordinary legacy.
Constructed on the site of an old naval school, the Palais de Danse is one of the most unique spaces in the heart of St Ives. Formerly a cinema and dance hall, the Palais was also an important hub for community events during the Second World War and beyond.
The building was bought by Barbara Hepworth in 1961 to use as her second studio. This gave her the space to create larger and more complex sculptures, including the monumental Single Form (1961-4) commissioned for the United Nations in New York.
Located directly opposite Trewyn Studio, now the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Palais was gifted to Tate by the Hepworth Estate in 2015 and was awarded Grade II-listed status in 2020.
Together, the buildings house the entire scope of Hepworth’s creative work from 1949-1975.
Having remained untouched since Hepworth’s death in 1975, Tate St Ives is now embarking on a major project to renovate the building with Adam Khan Architects. The project will showcase the Palais’s rich history, realise its immense potential for the community and continue its story by securing the building for the long term.
This Friday and Saturday, the St Ives community is being invited to take a special look at the Palais de Danse, discuss early ideas with the architects and curators, and hear more about the plans for the future.
Visitors will be invited to tour the building’s celebrated dancehall and to share memories and photographs of the Palais.
Tate St Ives will also be offering tours of the neighbouring Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, providing the chance to explore the full breadth of Hepworth’s life and work in St Ives.
The community open days are being held from 2pm to 5pm on Friday and from 10am to 1pm on Saturday. Free tickets are available at www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-stives/palais-open-days and on 01736 796226. Due to limited capacity, booking is essential with priority for local residents.