Who made it happen
Stephanie Jefferies with Sarah Marsh as part of the HoLD Art Collective
What was needed
As part of a wider site redevelopment, Dulwich Picture Gallery sought to create a dedicated space for young children and families that felt integral to the gallery’s mission. The space needed to support early engagement with art and creativity, encourage family visits and repeat attendance, accommodate schools and community programmes, and be inclusive of SEND audiences.
It also needed to extend dwell time beyond the historic galleries while respecting the Gallery’s status as the oldest purpose-built public art gallery in England and signalling a more contemporary, welcoming offer.
What we did
The ArtPlay Pavilion is a permanent, sensory-rich play space for children under eight and their families. Created by Stephanie Jefferies with Sarah Marsh as part of the HoLD Art Collective, it translates elements of the Gallery’s collection into calm, immersive environments inspired by sunlight, earth, water and wind.
Designed for open-ended, tactile exploration, the Pavilion supports family visits, early years sessions, school workshops and inclusive SEND programmes and forms a key part of the Gallery’s wider redevelopment and engagement strategy.
Playful™ impact
The ArtPlay Pavilion has become a cornerstone of Dulwich Picture Gallery’s family and learning offer. By embedding play within the cultural experience, the Pavilion lowers barriers to engagement and supports positive early relationships with art and galleries.
The space has enabled the Gallery to welcome new audiences, increase visit length and frequency and significantly expand its capacity for education and community engagement — all while remaining aligned with its historic identity.
Gallery
