Lakeland Arts announces strategic plans to secure a sustainable future
Cumbria has always been Lakeland Arts’ greatest inspiration – a landscape of beauty, creativity, and cultural legacy. Through our museums, collections, and shared experiences, we bring its stories to life and ensure they are preserved for future generations. Yet, like many charities in today’s challenging financial climate, we face growing pressures that demand resilience, innovation, and change.
Over the past year, we have seen strong growth in visitor numbers and commercial income. Yet rising operational costs are outpacing this growth. These factors, largely beyond our control, highlight the need to ensure the organisation is robust, agile, and fit for purpose in the modern world.
To bring Lakeland Arts onto a more sustainable footing we are making operational adjustments. These changes, which will take effect from October 2025, include:
- From Sunday 5 October, Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house will be open six days a week and closed on Sundays.
- From Monday 6 October, Windermere Jetty Museum will adopt a seasonal model, opening six days a week, closing on Mondays during the off-season (6 October – 23 March).
Our overarching objective is to ensure that Lakeland Arts continues to be an enduring and adaptable organisation – able to continue delivering high-quality cultural experiences, while operating responsibly within the constraints of today’s financial realities.
These changes will align us with our peers across the heritage sector, while enabling us to focus on team development, strengthen our core work, and enrich how our visitors engage with local stories and our cultural spaces.
By taking these steps, we ensure Lakeland Arts remains a sustainable organisation able to safeguard the creativity, heritage, and stories of Cumbria for generations to come.
Help us to protect Cumbria’s cultural legacy, find out how you can support us here.
