You are here: Home > Things to Do > Arts and Culture > Culture in South Lakes > Events & Creative Activities
Looking for something to do in the South Lakes? Let our arts and culture attractions keep you entertained, with a wide range of events and creative activities for all to enjoy. There’s everything form workshops and interactive experiences, to cinema, theatre, and musical productions. Remember to book ahead to avoid missing out, and join us for a visit to remember in South Lakeland.
Imagine creating your own masterpiece in the very place where famous names like William Wordsworth and John Ruskin lived and worked. You can now visit their former homes and take part in regular activities like sketching and writing while you’re there. Keep an eye out for events like outdoor theatre and poetry readings, too.
As well as their permanent collections, art galleries, museums and cultural venues also host regular exhibitions featuring works from renowned artists; or highlighting different aspects of our local history and heritage. There are also workshops to help you learn a new skill (and take away a handmade souvenir of your time in the Lake District, Cumbria!). Pottery, painting, dance, weaving, embroidery and plenty more are on offer at arts and culture venues across the South Lakes.
Visiting with kids? There are lots of children’s activities to enjoy! Arts and crafts workshops, dressing up clothes, fossil rubbing, arts and history trails, and so much more await. Keep an eye out for additional activities during school holidays too.
If you want to be entertained, the South Lakes is the place to be. Our theatres and cinemas host a packed programme of performances. There are internationally acclaimed productions; comedy shows to keep you laughing; children’s shows for family-friendly fun; musical performances from local and national names; and so much more.
Our arts, culture and heritage scene is buzzing with activity: there’s always something on, so come and discover everything our attractions have to offer.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The fund aims to provide pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local businesses, and people and skills. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.
Number of results: 36
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Stramongate, Kendal
On this one-day course, students will learn the basic skills of stained glass – choosing from a tutor template or creating their own simple design. The panel can be all glass, or incorporate a mirror if desired.
Students will learn to choose and…
Stramongate, Kendal
On this two-day course, students will learn the basic skills of stained glass – creating a suitable design or adapting an existing template with guidance from the tutor. The panel will be made up of coloured glass, some painted and kiln-fired glass,…
Kendal
Skipinnish are at the very top of Scotland's vibrant Celtic Music scene. Their anthemic songs and rocking bagpipe-led sets have given them a track record of hits and sell-out shows across the country's biggest and best music venues. Following a…
Kendal
Verbalise Live and on Zoom | Sat 30 Sep | Doors 7.30pm | Warehouse £6 | Zoom £3.50
Join us either Live or on Zoom for our spoken word open mic night with guest poet Rowland Crowland.
About our guest: Rowland Crowland is the King of Goblin Poetry.…
Kendal
Doors 7.30pm | Tickets £15.50 | Theatre
Formed in Glasgow in 2006, The Paul McKenna Band came together through a combined love of traditional music and an ambition to carry that music forward using original compositions.
Scotland's Paul McKenna…
Kendal
Tickets £16.50 | Support North Fire Sound | Malt Room Standing
Afriquoi returns to Brewery Arts this September with their iconic live African dance music, fusing Congolese guitar + Gambian kora virtuosity with UK electronic sensibilities to create…
Kendal
Doors 7.30pm | Tickets £16.50 | Theatre
A spectacular sound like nothing you could ever imagine, a union of transatlantic cultures melding two styles and two approaches creating a life-affirming, uplifting, truly captivating effect. With two bold…
Bowness-on-Windermere
An acclaimed retelling of the classic film Die Hard from Richard Marsh – Fringe First-winner, London poetry slam champion, BBC Audio Drama Best Scripted Comedy Drama award-winner and New York cop (one of these is untrue). This joyfully funny show…
Stramongate, Kendal
Experiment with Decovil Light to create a beautiful textile vase embellished with threads, paper, lace and beads
In this workshop we will be using Decovil Light, which is a light weight, dimensionally stable and resilient iron-on interlining with…
Kendal
Brian Bilston has been described as the Banksy of poetry and Twitter's unofficial Poet Laureate; with over 200,000 followers on social media, Brian has become truly beloved by the online community.
Backbarrow, Newby Bridge
Join lots of proud classic vehicle owners as they bring their private vehicles to display at the museum.
Bring your own classic vehicle
The event is open to the proud owners of classic cars, trucks, vans and motorbikes, as well as more recent hot…
Kendal
California-born but now based in Manchester, Jesca Hoop is a musician's musician. Discovered by Tom Waits, and brought on tour by Peter Gabriel to sing in his band, it was a phone call from Elbow's Guy Garvey that saw her move to the UK.
Order of…
Stramongate, Kendal
With the help of Helen from Helens Herbs you can create the perfect Autumn Wreath, made from an array of beautiful herbs, flower heads, seed heads and Autumnal berries and leaves. All materials (prepared wreath ring, secateurs, wires, foliage) etc…
Kendal
Comedy | Starts 8pm | Tickets £15.50
In the aftermath of a global pandemic, comedian and scientist, Ria Lina has had a Riawakening and sees the world differently. In her highly anticipated debut tour, Ria tackles the issues of coming out of a…
Kendal
Few singers are as celebrated and revered as Cara Dillon. Known for her captivating live performances she seldom fails to leave audiences spellbound with her breathtaking voice and emotional delivery. Her longstanding partnership with Sam Lakeman…
Kendal
Tickets £25 | Extended Theatre | Age Guidance 14+
Jason Byrne is returning to Brewery Arts following a sell-out performance at the venue in 2022, this time with brand-new material for The Ironic Bionic Man.
"We can rebuild him! Jason is,…
Windermere
Discover two remarkable Arts & Crafts houses in the Lake District in one afternoon. Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house designed by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott and Broad Leys a privately-owned Arts & Crafts house designed by architect Charles FA…
Stramongate, Kendal
This fun and absorbing new workshop offers a fantastic introduction to sugar work; making beautiful sugar flowers perfect for a homemade wedding or special birthday cake.
The class is suitable for beginners who have never worked with sugar…
Kendal
Tickets £25.50 | Theatre
Over the last three decades, Kristin Hersh's prolific career has seen her heralded queen of the alternative release, with over 20 records released to date; as a solo artist, with Throwing Muses, and with 50FOOTWAVE…
Town End, Grasmere
Are you ready for a spooktacular Halloween? Join us for hot chocolate, gingerbread, and Halloween crafts in our cosy Learning Space. Children will have fun dressing up in Georgian costumes while learning about the Wordsworths and hearing some of…
Receive all the latest news, special offers and information from the Lake District, Cumbria
Cumbria Tourism, Windermere Road, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PL