Lakes Culture is pleased to announce that further funding of £128,000 will be received from Arts Council England to continue to invest in the Lake District to establish it as the UK’s leading rural cultural destination.
Led by The Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, the investment will continue to support the work Lakes Culture has been doing since the project’s launch in autumn 2014. Building on the first phase of their Cultural Destinations project which received £324,000 of funding, Lakes Culture, a consortium of local arts organisations, public bodies and tourism businesses, will continue to strengthen awareness and understanding between the tourism and culture sectors in Cumbria to facilitate greater promotion of the region as a cultural destination. This second Cultural Destinations phase aims to attract more new visitors to the area and build a greater international profile. This will include making best use of the positive impact of a forthcoming potential UNESCO World Heritage Site, and building on the success of the existing Lakes Ignite Festival.
Usha Mistry, Lakes Culture’s Project Manager, says:
“It is fantastic news to have been successful in securing this funding to enable us to build upon the success of the Lakes Culture project and move it onto the next stage. We are looking forward to continue working with the tourism and cultural sectors together to improve the marketing and visitor experience of the Lake District as a cultural destination. With the possibility of becoming a designated World Heritage site and an exciting re-imagining of our Lakes Ignite festival the next 18 months is set to be an exciting chapter for culture in the Lake District.”
As a culmination of the current Cultural Destinations project, Lakes Culture is holding a Tourism & Culture Networking Event on 2 February. Thought-provoking speakers and lively and engaging facilitated workshops will demonstrate how discussion, debate and working together can improve the experiences of cultural visitors to the Lake District, and bring real economic benefits to local businesses. Delegates will learn about plans for the second phase of Cultural Destinations and have an opportunity to put forward their ideas. To find out more about attending the event, please contact lakesculture@psbusinessmatters.co.uk.
Lakes Culture is one of six projects in the north of England to be awarded funding in this round of Cultural Destinations. Sarah Maxfield, North Area Director, Arts Council England said:
“This is fantastic news for the North. This investment will capitalise on the rich variety of arts and culture on offer here – positioning places as diverse as the rural Lake District, the metropolitan borough of Calderdale, and cities such as Sheffield and Manchester as leading cultural destinations. Over the coming years we hope to see these ambitious projects encouraging growth in the local visitor economy, and attracting more people from across the country – and indeed the world – to these great places.”
To find out more about art and culture in the Lake District, Cumbria click here or follow @LakesCulture