HNC GETS CREATIVE: HNC ARTISTS VISIT YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE INTERNATIONAL GALLERIES
29.04.2026HNC’s Year 12 A Level Fine Art and Applied Art and Design students have recently enjoyed an enriching and enlightening visit to two of Yorkshire Sculpture International’s art institutions, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) and The Hepworth Gallery, as part of their project exploring ideas of change and transformation.
Students studying at HNC enjoy a wide range of experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. Creative students at HNC are encouraged to develop their knowledge and artistic styles through visiting inspiring places, and a recent trip to YSP and The Hepworth has served as the inspiration for our Year 12 A Level Fine Art and Applied Art and Design students as they begin their next project focusing on change and transformation.
The trip saw the group first explore YSP, an 18th century, 500 acre estate, renowned as a leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture, and boasts pieces by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Damien Hirst. During the visit, students were encouraged to take photos and live sketches for primary research purposes, responding to large-scale sculpture in the landscape. Following a morning spent exploring Europe’s largest sculpture park, the group then moved on to The Hepworth, an award-winning gallery located in Wakefield. The gallery is named after Barbara Hepworth, who was born and raised in the city and considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. The gallery is the home of Wakefield city’s art collection which includes pieces from Ben Nicholson, L.S. Lowry, Henry Moore and of course, Barbara Hepworth herself. Spending time at The Hepworth was an opportunity for students to explore how contemporary artwork is presented within a professional gallery.
At both sites, which fall under the wider brand of Yorkshire Sculpture International – often referred to as part of the ‘Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle’ – students were encouraged to explore the design of the gallery shops and products sold, showcasing how the art displayed at both sites can translate to commercial opportunities. Jodie Furlong, Teacher of Applied Art and Design, shares more “We are incredibly lucky to have some of the UK’s most impressive arts institutions on our doorstep, and our recent trip to YSP and The Hepworth provided our Fine Art and Art and Design students with a genuine opportunity to understand how art and design operates beyond the classroom, explore how art builds a deeper understanding of the world around us, and the importance of accessible art for our communities. This trip also provided the starting point for our next topic, change and transformation, with our groups using this experience to collect a wide range of primary research, from photographs to live sketches. I can’t wait to see how this experiences influences our students’ work over the coming months”.
You can view a gallery from the trip below.
New Hey Road, Huddersfield, HD3 4GL
