4 Best Performing Arts Venues in The West Country, England

In a converted warehouse on the harbor, the Arnolfini is one of the country's most prestigious contemporary-art venues, known for uncovering innovative yet accessible art. There are galleries, a cinema, a bookshop, and a lively café-bar.

One of the foremost arts centers of the West Country, Dartington Hall lies 2 miles northwest of Totnes. There are concerts, film screenings, and exhibitions. The gardens, free year-round, are the setting for outdoor performances of Shakespeare in summer. There's a café, and you can stay overnight in rooms in the hall.

Tucked away behind the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, off Gandy Strreet, this arts center hosts contemporary exhibitions, as well as films, live music, and comedy. There's a good bar-café, too, with an outdoor terrace.

A contemporary arts center by the harbor, the Watershed also has a movie theater that screens excellent international films.