THE director of a leading regional arts trust has stepped down after falling out with his trustees over a troubled museum project.

Edward King, who headed the Lakeland Arts Trust for 16 years, resigned ‘by mutual agreement’ following disagreement about the stalled Windermere Steamboat Museum project.

The trust acquired the museum, which has a world-renowned collection of boats, in 2007. The aim was to turn it into a multi-million pound visitor attraction, creating 30 jobs.

But now question mark hangs future of the project following funding problems.

In October, the Lakeland Arts Trust confirmed it would not be seeking Heritage Lottery funding for the development and it ended the search for a European architect to design the new museum.

Instead, it revealed it would consider designs for a smaller scale option.

By that time, a split between Mr King and the trustees was obvious.

Although still employed as director until his resignation took effect last Friday, Mr King had remained away from his duties for three months.

During Mr King’s reign as director`, he managed to attract many high profile artists to exhibit at Abbot Hall Art Gallery such as Lucian Freud, Bridget Riley and Paula Rego as well as stage hugely successful shows of works by Stanley Spencer and Walter Sickert.

He also fought hard to achieve the funding to buy and restore to its former glory Blackwell Arts and Crafts House, at Bowness, which came under the Lakeland Arts Trust umbrella in 2001 and is the only house built by architect Mackay Hugh Bailie Scott open to the public.

Mr King extended his artistic empire from the galleries of the trust’s Kendal and Bowness art houses (not forgetting the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry at the Abbot Hall site) to embrace Windermere Steamboat Museum in 2007.

Statement from Adam Naylor, chairman of Lakeland Arts Trust.

“It has become apparent that the trustees and the director hold differing views regarding the best course of action for the Windermere Steamboat project, in the context of the Lakeland Arts Trust and its future direction.

“It has, therefore, been decided by mutual agreement that Edward King will step down from his post as director in order to allow the trustees to pursue their preferred strategy.

“The trustees wish to place on record their thanks to Mr King for 16 years of service with the trust, during which time a tremendous amount has been achieved, and they wish him well.

“Mr King, having spent so muchg of his career developing the Lakeland Arts Trust, has every hope that it will continue to flourish and wishes it every success for the future.”