Trailblazers
London and Cornwall with independent writer, curator and broadcaster Julie Ewington
23 September – 2 October 2026
Trailblazers: Australian women artists in England
Explore the extraordinary lives of women artists who left Australasia in the early 20th-century for the cultural centres of Europe. Determined to forge a life in art, they established themselves in the creative metropolis of London and vibrant artists colonies in Cornwall.
We’ll walk in the footsteps of Margaret Preston, Frances Hodgkins, Dorrit Black and other pioneering artists – visiting the places that inspired their creative practice and created their artworks. Along the way, we’ll uncover their personal journeys, artistic struggles and triumphs, and the bold encounters that shaped modern art in Australia and beyond.
Behind the scenes at the British Museum, we’ll enjoy a private collection viewing, tour a historic studio complex on the outskirts of London and immerse ourselves in the story of women’s art with gallery visits.
Moving to the scenic Cornish coast we’ll explore the art centres of St Ives and Newlyn, visit heritage-listed studios, paint in the very places where groundbreaking women artists made history and learn about the contribution of Australian and New Zealand artists to these dynamic and influential artist colonies.
Together we’ll discover how a group of trailblazing, dangerously modern women defied conventions to pursue their careers, and, in doing so, shaped the course of modern art in Australia.
This tour was inspired by the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ 2025 exhibition Dangerously Modern: Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890–1940 .
Booked out – waitlist available
The Great Court at The British Museum, London, photo: Alamy
Tour details
Dora Meeson In a Chelsea garden 1912, Castlemaine Art Museum © Lt Col. Simon R. Hearder on behalf of the heirs in copyright
Big Ben at night and Westminster bridge, photo: iStock
Somerset House, London, photo: Alamy
St. Ives School of Painting, photo: Alamy
Trerice Manor House, Kestle Mill, Newlyn, photo: Alamy
Tate St Ives Art Gallery, Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, photo: Alamy
- To note:
The International Study tour program is presented by the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ members organisation, the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales. As well as providing a wonderful experience, your travel tour will also help to raise funds to support the Art Gallery.
International Study Tours are open to anyone who appreciates the best of travel, not only Art Gallery members.
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