Theatre by the Lake 25th anniversary exhibition with Dame Judi Dench

The theatre asked award-winning Cumbrian photographer Amy Bateman to capture the significant contributors to the venue in a series of photos for the exhibition called "We Are 25".

The exhibition, which opens on August 19, will commemorate the theatre’s 25th anniversary, celebrating the legacies of people who have lent their creative skills, time, and support over the years.

Dame Judi Dench is the current president of the theatre. She and husband Michael Williams were the first patrons (Image: Amy Bateman)

The theatre, which started touring as Century Theatre or The Blue Box, settled permanently in Keswick in 1975.

Building a new theatre was under way in 1991 and it was officially opened by Judi Dench in 1999.

The exhibition will explore the theatre's roots, acknowledging everyone who has been part of its heritage and showcasing its diverse societal impact.

Among the featured portraits are Dame Judi Dench and her late husband Michael Williams, the theatre's first official patrons.

Dame Judi is the current president.

Among others to be featured in the exhibition are doctor and playwright Julie Carter, associate artist Melina Barnett, director Kash Arshad, costume designer Louie Whitemore, theatre patron Solomon Ng and proud Cumbrian Lord Melvyn Bragg.

Solomon Ng is a supporter of the theatre's relaxed performances (Image: Amy Bateman)

Amy Bateman said: "This was an exciting commission for me, as a creator of storytelling images I also adore exploring people's personalities and their life narratives through meaningful images.

"I hope those seeing the exhibition get a sense of the impact that the Theatre has had on people's lives in the past 25 years.

"It has a strong sense of place for many, feeling like home."

Liz Stevenson and Simon Stephens, joint CEOs of Theatre by the Lake, said: "Theatre by the Lake is an inspirational space in an extraordinary place, and the sense of community ownership and connection to the theatre is super strong.

"We wanted to tell the human story of Theatre by the Lake and its intangible heritage through 25 personal connections.

Lord Melvyn Bragg is a proud Cumbrian (Image: Amy Bateman)

"We loved Amy’s style of photography and ability to produce intimate, naturalistic images capturing people in their working environment.

"We want to celebrate our birthday and have people tell their stories on our behalf and we cannot wait to share this with all our audiences and supporters and see how it generates discussion, shares memories and inspires our work for the next 25 years."

The exhibition will run for a year.