Fostering, promoting and celebrating culture and creativity are vitally important to any local economy. In West Cumbria we are doing this through a number of avenues – supporting festivals and events, arts and culture; improving the tourism offer and sporting offer.


Festivals and Events
Festivals and events are widely recognised as contributing significantly to the cultural, social and economic wealth of an area. This is delivered through;

• Economic regeneration
Improving the image of the area; showcasing regeneration projects; creating jobs and training opportunities in the local supply chain; and boosting the appeal of the tourism offer

• Social regeneration
Nurturing skills and social capital; promoting social inclusion; acting as a catalyst for public, private and voluntary sector collaboration; and providing opportunities for community celebration

• Culture and Creativity
Fostering innovative arts activity and programming; supporting the creative industries sector and participatory sport

Our Festivals and Events Funding Strategy has been developed to support both major and niche festivals, whilst encouraging them towards future sustainability and financial viability. To date we have supported the biannual Whitehaven International Maritime Festival, the annual Maryport Blues Festival, Solfest and the visit of ‘Black Pearl’.

For more information about our annual festivals and events funding programme please contact Denise Smalley on Tel: 01900 811960.


Tourism
Developing a quality tourism product to compliment the stunning natural beauty of West Cumbria is vital if the area is to benefit from Cumbria’s huge visitor economy.

In addition to the improvements to town centre and harbours across the sub region; there are plans to build a high quality harbourside hotel in Whitehaven and role out the hugely successful Service Sector Grant scheme, which has already seen significant improvements to accommodation in Maryport and has perfectly complimented Cumbria Tourism’s, Tourism Connect programme.

We have also played an important role in the refurbishment of The Beacon in Whitehaven and are currently working with Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd and the Senhouse Museum Trust to develop a new tourism attraction in Maryport – Roman Maryport.


Arts and Culture
West Cumbria has clusters of creative industries, but this needs to be increased to have a meaningful effect on the economy.

In 2007 West Lakes Renaissance launched a pilot apprenticeship scheme with West Cumbria Arts Partnership and the Theatre by the Lake as the first step of increasing capacity – an initiative also supported by the Arts Council North West England. In addition to this the Pathways to Art project – a collaboration of key partners across West Cumbria – is engaging long term unemployed people with great success.

The arts have also played an important part in the regeneration of West Cumbria’s market towns. Creative Egremont is an innovative public and community art programme delivered in collaboration with Egremont and Area Regeneration Partnership and Grizedale Arts; while the Gateways Project at Cleator Moor aims to develop the town’s tourism appeal by exploiting its links with the artist LS Lowry. Our support for this sector is being further developed through our membership on the Board of Culture Cumbria and through the delivery of programmes under the Britain’s Energy Coast™ Masterplan.


Sport and Leisure
The Sports Economy Sector Champion, funded by West Lakes Renaissance, Sport England, Cumbria County Council and Cumbria Vision, was appointed in 2007.

This appointment recognises the emerging importance of the Sport Economy across Cumbria.  A specific ‘Pathways into Sports Employment’ project is currently being developed to open up the employment opportunities in sports and leisure, particularly for the unemployed. Leisure developments play a central role in the regeneration masterplans for Workington and Whitehaven.