The arts and culture scene in The Lake District, Cumbria is thriving, with many events taking place throughout the county year-round. Whether you want to enjoy a play, dance to live music, discover an art exhibition or visit a museum, there’s so much to experience in this vibrant part of the country.
If you’re a theatre enthusiast, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in the Lake District, Cumbria, with performances in some truly spectacular venues. How about catching a show next to a lake, or in a coastal town?
We often welcome touring productions including theatre and opera; while our independent cinemas also show live streams of performances taking place in world-class venues like the National Theatre.
If you’re a film buff, there are lots of fantastic cinemas showing the latest releases as well as art house classics. Did you know? The Lake District, Cumbria has featured in a number of films and TV shows like Star Wars and The Witcher!
Put on your dancing shoes and head out for an evening of live music – whether it’s a concert, a festival or an evening at the pub, there’s something to suit all tastes.
For a real celebration of our local culture, why not head for one of our vibrant festivals? The Winter Droving festival in Penrith is a colourful display held every October, complete with torchlit parade and a festive atmosphere. Meanwhile, museums hold regular events and exhibitions highlighting everything from art and film to our local history.
Search and view what's taking place below and let us introduce you to a world of theatre, music and the arts here in Cumbria.
Curated and hosted by poet Kim Moore, our online contemporary poetry reading series continues…
This February, Kendal College's Level 4 Professional Diploma in Performance students will be…
The International Textile Exhibition is back with new work from around the world. Oceans is the…
Tapestry weavers from England and New Zealand come together in this fourth international touring…
Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the life and legacy of Alfred Wainwright at The Armitt…
Tuesday 25 February | 7.30pm Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, and featuring many of her…
Creative writing with Emma Thompson – All about winter – creative writing and winter readings –…
You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.
Number of results: 43
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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…
Sedbergh
Tapestry weavers from England and New Zealand come together in this fourth international touring exhibition of small format hand woven tapestries. Weavers come from a diverse range of creative backgrounds, from novice weavers to those with…
Ambleside
Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the life and legacy of Alfred Wainwright at The Armitt museum from February to December 2025.
The Armitt museum and Alfred Wainwright Books & Memorabilia are thrilled to announce a collaborative and…
The Armitt Museum, Ambleside
Lake Rd, Keswick
Tuesday 25 February | 7.30pm
Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, and featuring many of her most iconic songs performed live.
Apphia Campbell's acclaimed play follows a successful singer and civil rights activist as she seeks redemption…
Grasmere
Curated and hosted by poet Kim Moore, our online contemporary poetry reading series continues throughout 2025.
We will be listening to what poets have to say about our turbulent times, and how poetry can cross borders to challenge, delight and…
Wordsworth Grasmere, Grasmere
Aynam Rd, Kendal
This February, Kendal College's Level 4 Professional Diploma in Performance students will be bringing their re-imagining of "Growth" by Luke Norris to The Venue! With a talented cast of 8, they'll be bringing 17 unique characters to life in an…
Devonshire St, Penrith
Creative writing with Emma Thompson – All about winter – creative writing and winter readings – POETRY
10am - 1pm
Saturday 1 March
Immerse yourself in the world of winter poetry with Emma and like-minded writers at The George Hotel in Penrith…
Whitehaven
Get your dessert spoons ready for a tale of perseverance, princes, palace balls, glass slippers and, um, ice cream?
Over the last four decades, Cinderella's has become the kingdom's most beloved ice cream company, with a parlour on every street…
Kendal
Doors 7.30pm | Tickets £28 | Theatre
The masters of melody from Norway join forces with a British jazz star.
Espen Eriksen Trio and Andy Sheppard first teamed up for two concerts in London in 2016. It was clear from the first note that this was a…
Bowness on Windermere
Friday 7 March
A thrilling sequel to "The 39 Steps", Hannay Stands Fast sees our dashing hero, Richard Hannay back in the fray on a mission to thwart a new and deadly threat to his beloved England. Engaged on this top-secret case by MI5, Hannay…
Whitehaven
Three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke is joined by Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who; Sex Education) in this joyful reimagining of Oscar Wilde's most celebrated comedy.
While assuming the role of a dutiful guardian in the country, Jack lets loose…
Keswick
In this unique double bill, two actor-writers perform their own one-person shows,
each directed by the other. Working with acclaimed sound artists Mark Melville and José
Guillermo Puello and set designer Martin Johns, they have created two…
Lake Rd, Keswick
Inspired by remarkable true events.
"It's built for us, isn't it? The Spitfire. Built for women."
New Year's Eve, 1959.
Decades after answering the call, two women separated by the war meet again as the rain hammers down on the windows of The…
Back Belsfield Rd, Bowness-on-Windermere
The first in the new season of meet the author sessions will feature Cumbrian writer Alan Cleaver
Keswick
Adventurous Ink, the book subscription that helps readers reconnect, are inviting lovers of good books and the great outdoors to join them for a unique springtime event at Seatoller Farm in the Lake District's Borrowdale.
Over the weekend of 29th &…
Whitehaven
Dr. Strangelove (screening)
co-adapted by Armando Iannucci
co-adapted and directed by Sean Foley
Seven-time BAFTA Award-winner Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge, The Trip) plays four roles in the world premiere stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick's…
Bowness on Windermere
This is a journey through the astonishing highs and lows of one of Britain's most famous men from history. But there's so much you don't know…
Father, husband, writer, poet, adventurer, philosopher, soldier, tyrant, egotist, lover, traitor,…
Whitehaven
The award-winning Indefinite Articles present their work for the very young: Claytime, a play with clay, where the audience are invited to participate.
Come to a place where the earth's natural material meets with children's imaginations: a world…
Sedbergh
A coming-together of four very different artists/makers based in Cumbria – who all assemble ideas, subject matter, and materials to create harmonious objects and paintings.
Visitors will see an array of abstract painting using paint and mixed media…
Bowness on Windermere
"The legend of the Hound Of The Baskervilles has haunted the Baskerville family for generations – none more so than Sir Charles Baskerville, who died in mysterious circumstances worthy of the legend. This leads Doctor Mortimer to consult Sherlock…
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