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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.
The Paper Quilt Project is a living exhibition in which a community art piece is created while on…
Step inside the charming world of Tabitha Twitchit's second-hand bookshop in Hawkshead, where every…
Great exhibitions, activities, gift shop and café in a glorious park setting amongst the mountains.…
Join Rosehill this summer for The People's Gallery, a free, family-friendly exhibition showcasing…
Celebrating the beauty, behaviour, symbolism and diversity of birds through the work of 57 UK…
Our galleries take on a unique atmosphere as the world slows down. Whether you're looking to…
A diverse exhibition celebrating printmaking techniques, creativity, and artistic exploration by…
Head to the Great Barn at Sizergh to see an exhibition from a creative collective of artists,…
If you’re visiting the Ambleside area why not pop into the Old Courthouse Gallery? We have a…
Every Wednesday, 11am - 2pm: Finds handling Get hands-on with history. Visitors can get hands-on…
Connie Flynn's Text & Textile! explores everyday sayings rooted in the textile trade. Using…
Discover the creatures that came before the T.REX. Step back to the Carboniferous period, 100…
A contemporary art gallery 9 miles east of Carlisle. located close to Hadrian’s Wall, the Scottish…
Conceived by the British painter Daniel Sturgis, On the Thick and Thin of Painting explores the…
"Our personal encounters within Morecambe Bay." This exhibition brings together the creative voices…
We are very pleased to bring you a new exhibition to the Dock Museum, "What the sea decides to give…
Discover 200 years of Rock Climbing history, from the earliest scrambles to the modern sport we…
Discover documentary photographer Joanne Coates's powerful exhibition about women in agriculture in…
Grizedale Observatory and planetarium for stargazing under the dark skies of the Lake District.…
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations…
This exhibition brings together two emerging portrait painters. Lela Harris gives depth and…
Inside just got interesting. Step off the trail and into a space where the Lake District is…
REACTOR is a new multimedia installation by Felicity Hammond, launching on Thursday 28th May at 6pm…
Useful/Beautiful marks 25 years of contemporary craft at Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house,…


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

Number of results: 76
, currently showing 21 to 40.
102-104 Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness
REACTOR is a new multimedia installation by Felicity Hammond, launching on Thursday 28th May at 6pm.
Set against the backdrop of Barrow's defence industry, as the home of the UK's only nuclear submarine manufacturer, REACTOR imagines a fictional…
Keswick
Great exhibitions, activities, gift shop and café in a glorious park setting amongst the mountains. Giant map, musical stones and an immersive landscape gallery. Open daily 10-4.
W Strand, Whitehaven
Before we say goodbye to I Grew Up 90s exhibition (on 21 June), we wanted to celebrate the decade a little close to home - with a special event dedicated to what like was really like in Whitehaven, and the surrounding areas during the 1990s.
Step…
Nr. Penrith
Brougham Hall is a 14th Century Fortified ruin home to a variety of working craft units, a cafe, both a gin distillery and a brandy distillery.
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.
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.
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!
Garsdale Rd, Sedbergh
"Our personal encounters within Morecambe Bay."
This exhibition brings together the creative voices of ArtyBird Carnforth Fellowship Alumni, each offering their own glimpse into the rich and ever-changing landscape of Morecambe Bay. The featured…
Penrith
Rheged is a gallery, café, cinema, shopping venue, workplace and creative space on the edge of the Northern Lakes.
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.
Garsdale Rd, Sedbergh
Textile artworks inspired by the Cumbrian landscape, blending felting techniques with recycled, sustainable materials.
Textile Fusion presents a new body of work by textile artist Dianne Standen, inspired by the rich textures, colours, and forms of…
Kendal
Regional artists know all too well how few spaces are available to show their work, so the recent opening of this large gallery space in Kendal is an exciting new addition to the Lakeland arts scene. With around a hundred square metres of space, the…
Garsdale Rd, Sedbergh
Innovative contemporary quilts exploring pathways, journeys, and connections through cutting-edge textile practice.
Pathways presents a dynamic exhibition by Contemporary Quilt, a Special Interest Group of The Quilters' Guild, whose members…
The Abbey, Carlisle
We, the bell ringers of Carlisle Cathedral are delighted to have been given the opportunity by the Dean and Chapter to share our hobby, pastime, and passion with both the congregation and visitors to this special place.
An exhibition is planned…
Hawkshead
Grizedale Observatory and planetarium for stargazing under the dark skies of the Lake District. Nestled deep within the breathtaking Grizedale Forest in the heart of the Lake District, this immersive stargazing experience invites the whole family to…
Kirkland, Kendal
Join us for a powerful multi-media exhibition exploring stories of fragility and survival, told through the voices of people in Barrow and Kendal.
Step into an unseen world through immersive sound and film, artwork, poetry, and images created by…
Grasmere
Venture into the fateful night that inspired one of the world's greatest gothic tales: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
Beginning with the reimagined bedroom of Mary Shelley, step into a spellbinding world of moonlit woods, haunting seas and waking…
Garsdale Rd, Sedbergh
A diverse exhibition celebrating printmaking techniques, creativity, and artistic exploration by Cumbrian printmakers.
Exploration and Discovery is an exhibition by Cumbria Printmakers, a cooperative of individual artists united by a shared passion…
Garsdale Rd, Sedbergh
Nothing Lasts – Sue Dawes (15 April – 12 July 2026)
Nothing Lasts presents sculptural ceramics exploring the transience of human achievement. Working with hand-built stoneware crank clay and a low-firing copper glaze, Sue draws inspiration from…
The Promenade, Maryport
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars, inscriptions and sculptures from the adjacent Roman fort and civilian settlement.
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