THE Lake District's reputation as a cultural hub has been bolstered by the announcement of thousands of pounds of funding.

Arts Council England will be giving £128,000 to Lakes Culture, which brings together and showcases some of the area's cultural highlights, festivals and events.

Led by The Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, the Cultural Destinations investment will continue to support the work that the organisation has been doing since its launch in autumn 2014.

Last spring Lakes Culture celebrated the wealth of art and culture in the national park by staging the first Lakes Ignite festival. It put on an innovative programme of contemporary art experiences, exhibitions and performances at key rural locations and cultural venues around the Lakes.

There were three key commissions; ‘Seven Nocturnal Rainbows’, the ‘Museum of Water’ and a unique 21st century Landscape Art Class.

Project manager Usha Mistry said: “It is fantastic news to have been successful in securing this funding to enable us to build upon the success of the Lakes Culture project and move it onto the next stage.

"We are looking forward to continue working with the tourism and cultural sectors together to improve the marketing and visitor experience of the Lake District as a cultural destination.

"With the possibility of becoming a designated World Heritage site and an exciting re-imagining of our Lakes Ignite festival the next 18 months is set to be an exciting chapter for culture in the Lake District.”

Lakes Culture, a consortium of local arts organisations, public bodies and tourism businesses, is one of six projects in the north of England to be awarded funding.

Sarah Maxfield, North Area Director, Arts Council England described it as being "fantastic news" for the area. She believes that ambitious projects like Lakes Culture could encourage growth in the local visitor economy by attracting people from all over the UK and the world.

Lakes Culture is holding a tourism and culture networking event on February 2. Thought-provoking speakers and lively and engaging workshops will demonstrate how discussion, debate and working together can improve the experiences of cultural visitors to the Lake District.

Delegates will learn about plans for the second phase of Cultural Destinations and have an opportunity to put forward their ideas. To find out more about attending, contact lakesculture@psbusinessmatters.co.uk.