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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.
A contemporary art gallery 9 miles east of Carlisle. located close to Hadrian’s Wall, the Scottish…
Celebrate 25 years of ceramic art by Edinburgh-based Frances Priest in Motif | Line | Colour. The…
We are proud to be working with our friends from Barrow Full to bring you our next temporary…
As Rheged celebrates 25 years of culture, discover the work of 25 exceptional Cumbrian artists…
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars,…
A free Exhibition at the first floor of Windermere Library which tells the heritage of pioneering…
This interactive exhibition celebrates the treasures of the Wordsworth Grasmere trove. Discover…
The Hive is a fully licensed events venue in a restored Wesleyan Chapel in Nenthead, offering pop…
SIGNAL proudly presents its first major group exhibition in their newly refurbished gallery spaces.…
A multimedia exhibition at the Dock Museum from 5th December to 23rd February exploring local…
If you’re visiting the Ambleside area why not pop into the Old Courthouse Gallery? We have a…
Grizedale Observatory and planetarium for stargazing under the dark skies of the Lake District.…
Step inside the charming world of Tabitha Twitchit's second-hand bookshop in Hawkshead, where every…
This autumn, Abbot Hall presents Boat Works, a solo exhibition by Turner Prize-winner Simon…
Discover life on Windermere through the lens of award-winning artist Juliet Klottrup. This…
The EVAN Gallery and Studios is a genuinely artist led creative hub. EVAN was established in 2017…
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations…
Discover how World War II shaped the lives of people in our community in this powerful, story-led…


You may leave the Lake District, but once you’ve been, it’ll never leave you.

Number of results: 45
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Barrow-in-Furness
A multimedia exhibition at the Dock Museum from 5th December to 23rd February exploring local stories of fragility & survival - of nature, of people - in South Cumbria. Through sound, film, images and words, an unseen, unheard world emerges. A world…
Rayrigg Road, Windermere
Discover life on Windermere through the lens of award-winning artist Juliet Klottrup. This exhibition of paintings and photography celebrates the people, stories and heritage of Windermere — from boatbuilders and our conservation team to community…
Brampton
A contemporary art gallery 9 miles east of Carlisle. located close to Hadrian’s Wall, the Scottish Borders, Eden Valley, and English Lake District, so it should be no surprise that we have a wealth of artistic talent to call upon.
Ambleside
Museum, art gallery and reference library covering the history life and arts of the Lakes. Collections include Kurt Schwitters, Beatrix Potter, photography, fine art and local history.
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!
Nr Kendal
Discover documentary photographer Joanne Coates's powerful exhibition about women in agriculture in Holeslack barn, on Sizergh's estate.
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.
102-104 Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness
SIGNAL proudly presents its first major group exhibition in their newly refurbished gallery spaces. Their ARTIST LAB EXHIBITION showcases bold new work shaped by landscape and protest from 14 emerging artists connected to Cumbria and the wider North…
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…
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
Farfield Mill is a Victorian woollen mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Home to artists’ studios, art exhibitions, heritage looms and tea room.
Grasmere
Discover two striking new collections of original artworks that celebrate the creative potential of modern printmaking. Women in Print draws inspiration from the life and legacy of Gwyneth Alban Davis, whose values of community, resilience, and…
Grasmere
This interactive exhibition celebrates the treasures of the Wordsworth Grasmere trove. Discover grand landscapes by Constable and Turner, a hasty sketch by Dorothy Wordsworth, dramatic watercolours and rarely displayed objects that spark wonder,…
Grasmere
Enjoy your perfect Lake District day out at Wordsworth Grasmere. Discover the home of William Wordsworth, one of England’s most famous poets. Step back 200 years and experience the sights, sounds and smells of family life at Dove Cottage.
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.
Kendal
Kendal Museum is one of the oldest museums in the UK, founded in 1796 by William Todhunter. The Museum has a long history in Kendal Town and has occupied various sites but has been at its current location (previously a wool warehouse) since 1913.
Bowness-on-Windermere
Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house is a rare architectural gem in the heart of the Lake District and offers a perfectly preserved snapshot of early 20th-century living.
Brampton
Experience the edge of empire at the award winning Roman Army Museum. There is nowhere else like it on Hadrian's Wall.
Grasmere
Art gallery and art shop run by the Heaton Cooper family, selling original paintings and prints from 4 generations of the family.
Coniston
Brantwood, the former home of eminent Victorian John Ruskin and a treasure house of art and memorabilia. The 250-acre estate comprises 8 unique gardens, ancient woodland, high moors and meadows.
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