Culture, creativity and collaboration for Cumbria’s bright future

It's little wonder that Cumbria is famed for its staggering natural beauty. Its landscapes and trails have been a beacon for artists, writers and tourists for centuries.

Yet, during my regular visits here, I've been equally inspired by the people and partnerships that make this such an exceptionally creative and vibrant place to live, work and study. And that’s never felt truer than now.

At Arts Council England, our role is to invest public money in our arts organisations, museums and libraries to make sure everyone can benefit from high-quality cultural and creative experiences on their doorstep.

In Cumbria, we will provide £11.5 million from 2023-2026 through investment in a portfolio of regularly funded organisations, an increase of 21 per cent a year. Combined with funding from all our other schemes, we have invested £44 million in Cumbria since 2018.

At the start of the year, I was lucky to spend four days in the county visiting some of its brilliant cultural organisations, the University of Cumbria and the two new local authorities. I spoke to leaders, artists, educators and audiences, including young people, to hear about the impact of this cultural investment in action.

Time after time, I was struck by the power of arts and culture to enrich lives, support local economies, drive tourism and generate civic pride.

For example, at Abbot Hall in Kendal, I saw how a once-neglected Grade-I Georgian manor house now serves as an acclaimed gallery and vibrant community hub with a strong youth programme.

Meanwhile, on the west coast, I visited Rosehill Theatre and Florence Mine, learning how they provide welcoming spaces where people can connect, cultivate skills and let their creativity flourish.

Then, at Soundwave in Whitehaven, it was fantastic to hear their plans for the regeneration of the old bus station and their work developing young people’s musical talents.

It is through supporting the great work of organisations like these all across the county that we are delivering on the promise of our national Let’s Create strategy.

We want this to be a country transformed by creativity and culture, making people’s lives happier and healthier.

Of course, we are also clear-sighted about the challenges involved. In Cumbria, the beautiful sweeping landscapes often mean large distances between communities. And, as with many predominantly rural regions, there are also a range of health and education inequalities, alongside an ageing population.

With this in mind, it’s crucial to have ambitious, innovative anchor institutions to help harness the power of the region’s creativity. This role is fulfilled brilliantly by the University of Cumbria under the inspiring leadership of Vice Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell.

During my visit, I saw their ability to bring people together for the public good.

Their two-day event helped build new networks across different districts and sectors. It spotlighted how arts, creativity and healthcare partnerships play an important part in tackling some of the region’s social inequalities.

Dr Colette Conroy of University of Cumbria addresses the room (Image: Courtesy of University of Cumbria)

We heard inspiring stories of how – in healthcare settings across Cumbria – music, dance, and other artforms are helping people’s recovery from both physical and mental health challenges.

Prism Arts spoke about providing life-changing opportunities to learning disabled and autistic artists, boosting skills and wellbeing.

Some of the other organisations that we also proudly fund, such as Art Gene and BarrowFull, provided examples of how community work is helping shape and revitalise areas where involvement in arts and culture has been below the national average. Their projects show how culture can provide people with joy and meaningful connections.

With the University of Cumbria and Imperial College London working together to launch a new medical school in Carlisle, it will also be exciting to explore the potential of embedding arts-based practice in training well-rounded medical professionals. Research has shown these approaches have the potential to further enhance patient care.

We know culture can be a catalyst for regeneration and create jobs. At a time when there are many pulls on the public purse, I’m delighted to hear both newly-formed local authorities in Cumbria are championing culture.

In both Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness, this vision and commitment to culture from the two new councils will help ensure the growing cultural infrastructure prospers. In turn, this will create a more dynamic future where young people have the chance to make a career in the cultural sector and everyone’s creativity is nurtured.

There is a real sense of potential in Cumbria right now. The region is blessed with natural assets, amazing arts organisations, brilliant museums and wonderful libraries.

Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England (Image: Courtesy of University of Cumbria)

Plus, with the help of a civic-minded university and committed local authorities, there’s a real desire to work in partnership to bring about positive change.

I believe Cumbria has an exciting story to tell about how creativity and collaboration can help forge connections in a large, rural county. And how culture can help us build stronger communities and create more fulfilled, joyful lives.

With Arts Council England supporting this work, I’m eager to see the next chapter unfold.