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The Lake District, Cumbria, has provided inspiration for a whole host of artists throughout the years, so it may come as no surprise that we’ve got a rich arts and crafts scene across the area! Here, you’ll find a range of art galleries and exhibition spaces that host an ever-changing calendar of works in virtually every medium.
Discover pieces by local and nationally known artists at venues including independent galleries and studios, to museums and seasonal fairs. Some offer the chance to take a piece home with you, while others host regularly changing exhibitions as well as permanent art collections.
There’s even the opportunity to check out art in the great outdoors: there’s a sculpture trail at Grizedale Forest, for example, as well as open air exhibitions as part of festivals and events throughout the year.
If you fancy trying it for yourself, several galleries and studios also host workshops and classes. Often, you’ll be able to get inspired by the stunning natural surroundings of your venue as you learn a new skill or hone existing abilities.
As well as viewing some fantastic art pieces, here in Cumbria we also invite you to explore the studios and workshops where that work was made; and even meet the artists who create it.
Keep an eye out, too, for touring exhibitions to see something a little different while in the Lake District, Cumbria. Discover our galleries and exhibitions below.
Tapestry weavers from England and New Zealand come together in this fourth international touring…
Heallreaf 5 presents their latest exhibition of handwoven tapestry. Using centuries old weaving…
The EVAN Gallery and Studios is a genuinely artist led creative hub. EVAN was established in 2017…
A free Exhibition at the first floor of Windermere Library which tells the heritage of pioneering…
Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the life and legacy of Alfred Wainwright at The Armitt…
Join us at Ravenglass Railway Museum in 2025, as we celebrate 150 years of the Ravenglass and…
A collection of mixed media pieces aimed to inspire and initiate thought provoking conversation…
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations…
If you’re visiting the Ambleside area why not pop into the Old Courthouse Gallery? We have a…
The Gather is a “bureau des guides”, a community of qualified outdoor leaders focused on providing…
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars,…
A contemporary art gallery 9 miles east of Carlisle. located close to Hadrian’s Wall, the Scottish…
We are pleased to announce that our new Shipyard Town gallery is fully open. We are honoured to…
You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.
Number of results: 62
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Windermere
Windermere Jetty Museum is a vibrant, family-friendly visitor attraction dedicated to the boats, people and the rich history of Windermere, England’s largest natural lake.
Hawkshead
Come and discover all that Grizedale has to offer – take in Lake District landscapes, experience a whole range of contemporary art and enjoy an adventure, no matter your age!
Coniston
Meet Coniston's heroes, John Ruskin, artist, radical and seer and Donald Campbell, speed ace. View the fully restored Bluebird craft in the Bluebird wing of the museum. Discover the mineral wealth of the fells, all at 'the most thought provoking…
Whitehaven
Since 2023, Handpicked productions have been busy working on their National Lottery Heritage Fund funded project, Sekers Objects. With your help they've looked under beds, peeked in sheds and scoured mantle pieces, collecting objects that tell the…
Whitehaven
Imagine leaving the heart of Whitehaven's historic port and being taken back in time to an exotic tropical island's rainforest in the Caribbean, that is just the start of your great adventure in The Rum Story.
Sedbergh
Sue Bibby designs and makes with fabric, stitch and her trusty Bernina sewing machine. Her first love is drawing, and her work begins with first-hand observation and sketches. She never ventures far without a sketch book and find gardens and…
Sedbergh
Each summer at ArtyBird, we film our Creative Textile suite of courses. Soon my shell became the focus and star of them – surprising us on how inspiring just one shell can be.
This is a special shell, one that my husband brought me back from his…
Braithwaite, Keswick
A rusty 'tin shed' beside a dramatic waterfall in a remote valley just outside Keswick – this building is a tribute to human engineering and ingenuity, and it has a powerful story to tell about humanity's impact on the planet.
Force Cragg Mine was…
Nr Kendal
The Sizergh estate hosts a collection of ancient trees, from 150-year-old birch trees to a 2,000-year-old yew tree.
Have you ever walked past a really big tree and wondered how old it is? Maybe you've sat and counted the rings inside a fallen tree,…
Ambleside
If you’re visiting the Ambleside area why not pop into the Old Courthouse Gallery? We have a fantastic collection of art & crafts by some amazing artists, many of them local to the area.
Barrow-in-Furness
We are pleased to announce that our new Shipyard Town gallery is fully open. We are honoured to tell the stories of the men and women who made Barrow great and a world leader in engineering. There is so much to do and see in the gallery including…
Kendal
Lakeland Arts' much-loved art collection includes paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture ranging from the 1700's to the present. In our refreshed collection galleries discover the stories of our extraordinary collection pieces and the people…
Sedbergh
Farfield Mill is a Victorian woollen mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Home to artists’ studios, art exhibitions, heritage looms and tea room.
W Strand, Whitehaven
FEATURING 11 UNSEEN PERCY KELLYS
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY – SOME OF WEST CUMBRIA'S MOST WELL-LOVED AND DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS, SHOWCASING THE POWERFUL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE AREAS LOCAL INDUSTRIAL PAST.
The Beacon Museums collection includes over…
Hawkshead, Ambleside
Situated in the quaint Lake District Village of Hawkshead, the boys Grammar School gives insight into school life ever since it opened in 1585. William Wordsworth also attended the school from age 9 to 17 with his brothers.
Sedbergh
The International Textile Exhibition is back with new work from around the world. Oceans is the inspiration for the work entered into the competition from internationally renowned textiles artists. There is a stunning array of figurative and…
Boot, Holmrook
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations. This charming site embodies the Lake District’s heritage. It is the last remaining working water-powered corn mill in the Lake District.
Penrith
Brougham Hall is a creative haven where you can enjoy the perfect blend of crafts, coffee and restoration.
Ambleside
Art gallery and art shop run by the Heaton Cooper family, selling original paintings and prints from 4 generations of the family.
Sedbergh
A collection of mixed media pieces aimed to inspire and initiate thought provoking conversation that may lead to action and ultimately, positive change.
If you had no access to pharmaceutical medicine, would you know what to forage for in…
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