St Anne's Arts and Community Centre

The converted Victorian building on Ilfracombe's high street pulls you in with its warm brick facade and proper community feel. St Anne's isn't a grand tourist draw - it's a working arts centre where locals actually spend their time, which makes it worth your while if you're staying nearby.

Inside, you'll find exhibition space, workshop studios, and a decent cafe that does proper coffee. The programme shifts seasonally with everything from life drawing classes to contemporary art shows, plus regular live music events. It's the sort of place where you stumble on something unexpected - a textile artist's open studio, a local photographer's collection, sometimes theatre groups rehearsing in the upstairs rooms.

Who gets the most from it? Anyone who likes their culture low-key and community-driven rather than polished and packaged. Artists themselves will appreciate the working studios. Families with older kids (under-tens might find it a bit slow) can usually catch something worth an hour of their time. In rainy Devon weather, it's genuinely useful to have on your back pocket.

There's no entry fee to browse the ground floor galleries and cafe, though specific exhibitions or workshops may have charges. Allow an hour if you're just passing through, longer if something's grabbed your interest. It works brilliantly as a mid-morning stop while exploring Ilfracombe proper, and pairs well with the nearby holiday parks - both Stowford Farm Meadows and Hidden Valley are within easy reach for something culturally different from the usual seaside entertainment.