THE Lake District has been named one of 10 UK locations to be given support in developing 'cultural tourism'. The project - 'Cultural Destinations' - is being led by Kendal's Brewery Arts Centre, which is aiming to make the area the country's cultural tourism 'capital'. ANNA SMITH spoke to Richard Foster, chief executive of the Brewery, to find out more.

MENTION the Lake District and most people think of the landscape - with its dizzying peaks, crystal clear waters and chocolate-box villages that dot the valleys and fells.

But what about its top-class eateries, ever-expanding calendar of festivals and, of course, artistic greats such as Beatrix Potter, Kurt Schwitters and Romantic poets such as Wordsworth?

There is no denying the link these artists have with the area - and indeed, it is the landscape we know and love today that once inspired them to create the works they are best-known for.

Now the Brewery Arts Centre is leading a three-year project to make this link clear, rooting culture as an intrinsic part of the Lake District experience.

"The ambition is to establish the Lake District as the UK’s leading rural cultural destination," explains Richard Foster, chief executive of the Brewery.

"The fact is, there is so much culture here to be celebrated. We want people to come and enjoy that first and foremost, inspired by the famous landscape."

The project - which will focus more specifically on the south and central Lakes, between South Lakeland and Keswick - has been given a budget of £324,000, from the Arts Council England and VisitEngland.

This is to be spent over the next three years marketing the area as somewhere trippers can come specifically to enjoy the culture on offer.

And there is, explains Richard, plenty of it.

The area's 'key assets' are its connections with the literary world - the greats of the Romanticism movement, and the legacy of Beatrix Potter, for example.

It also has a wealth of studios and galleries, dozens of festivals that are unique to the area - Kendal Mountain Festival, Mintfest and Words by the Water, to name just a few - and live performances all year round at venues like the Brewery.

There are also 'curated' events at the area's historic houses and museums, from Blackwell to Abbot Hall to the Pencil Museum.

Richard believes the area was successful in its bid because it has the 'competitive edge' over others.

"That's why we were granted the funding against stiff competition," he continues.

"The product is exceptional and already enjoyed by many."

The Brewery will work with several organisations, including Cumbria Tourism, the Lakeland Arts Trust, the Wordsworth Trust, National Trust and South Lakeland District Council, to push its vision.

The money it has will be spent on marketing the Lake District overseas and in the UK - and key domestic areas will be the North West, North East and the South West.

This is because the majority of audiences already come from those places, so it is a case of 'picking the low-hanging fruit', says Richard.

"If you ask those people what they know us for, for most it's the landscape," he said.

"So it's a case of changing that so they associate the area with both the landscape and culture.

"We then hope people will make return visits - and those who haven't been here before will come for the first time."

The project will play on the 'fleeting' nature of events in the area - the fact that a festival will only run on a certain weekend, or a band will only be in town for one night.

"Culture can provide those things that are only going to happen for a moment in time.

"It's the message: 'If you don't come now you won't see that exhibition or that particular festival will have ended, whereas the landscape will be here all the time'."

The project has been in the pipeline for some time, with Richard admitting he has 'harped on about it' for years.

But he added: "The funding has been the key to unlocking the ambition and creativity on offer in the Lakes."

The Cultural Destinations project will begin in November.

SIDE PIECE - What is 'Cultural Destinations'?

The initiative is being bankrolled by the Arts Council, which is investing £3million to help 10 arts and culture organisations increase their reach and engagement with potential tourists.

The programme aims to market culture as something visitors should actively seek out: a reason on its own to visit a place.

The aims are to encourage more and different types of people to experience the arts in a way that contributes to the local economy.

This will, in turn, lead to increased income for cultural organisations and tourism businesses, enabling them to become more 'resilient'.

Other successful applicants to the project include Liverpool Philharmonic, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre and the Cornwall Arts Centre Trust.

The three-year project has seen Arts Council England team up with the national tourist board, VisitEngland.

The maximum they awarded to any organisation was £350,000 - and the Lake District project has been given £324,000.