A series of spectacular outdoor arts events will take place across the Lake District and other parts of Cumbria in the spring and summer of 2010.

Lakes Alive will run from 29 April to 5 September and feature performances by leading international acts set against Cumbria�s beautiful and varied landscape and heritage. These mainly free shows will include modern circus, dramatic outdoor theatre, contemporary dance and exciting, fiery processions.

Highlights include:

The events start on 29 April to 2 May, with evening performances of a new show created for Lakes Alive by the critically-acclaimed Akademi, a South Asian Dance Company, in the atmospheric ruins of Furness Abbey.

A series of events across the May half term holidays will start with a thrilling outdoor animation festival in Whitehaven showcasing the town�s historic harbour on 29 and 30 May, including a dramatic procession with fire, light and giant illuminated fish by Spanish artists Sarruga.

Zircus Plus a unique International Circus Festival, will put on an amazing show in Barrow from 4 to 6 June, with some of the best and most exciting modern circus acts from Britain and overseas.

On 23 and 24 July German group Theater Titanick, one of Europe�s leading outdoor performance companies, will stage a stunning, large-scale show involving illusion, fire, water, music and dance at Carlisle Castle.

Leading French artists Commandos Percu will stage a dazzling extravaganza of sound, fire, light and colour at Maryport on 30 August.

The season of events will culminate in Mintfest, one of the country�s largest street arts festivals, which takes place in the market town of Kendal at the gateway to the Lakes. Running from 2 to 5 September the festival will include a host of the very best street artists from across the world.

The Lakes Alive programme will also include a series of other performances in Lakeland forests and towns across the county.

Further details about all the shows will be available at www.lakesalive.org in the New Year.

Lakes Alive, one of three annual programmes commissioned for WE PLAY, the Northwest cultural legacy programme for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. WE PLAY is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games. The project is led by the Arts Council England Northwest on behalf of a new regional partnership. Lakes Alive is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and has also received funding from Arts Council England and the Northern Rock Foundation.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. Lakes Alive is a major new programme created and directed by Kendal Arts International with Manchester International Arts. 2. It is one of the three Annual Legacy Programmes commissioned by the Legacy Trust UK for WE PLAY, the Northwest cultural legacy programme for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. It will represent a diverse range of projects and events, across culture, education and sport, appealing to people from all walks of life.

The term WE PLAY implies community, competition, participation, creativity, debate, connections and involvement. WE PLAY is led by a new regional partnership group commissioned by the Legacy Trust UK and led by the Arts Council Northwest.

3. Lakes Alive is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is responsible for: � Supporting business growth and encouraging investment � Matching skills provision to employer needs � Creating the conditions for economic growth � Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure � Promoting the region�s outstanding quality of life

4. Lakes Alive has also received funding from Arts Council England and the Northern Rock Foundation.

5. KAI has worked in partnership with every local authority in Cumbria, the Lake District National Park Authority, Cumbria Tourism, the University of Cumbria and key arts organisations to deliver the programme.

6. Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity whose mission is to support a wide range of innovative cultural and sporting activities which celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and which will leave a lasting legacy in communities throughout the United Kingdom.

Images of Akademi, Sarruga, Theater Titanick and Commandos Percu are available. For media information and further images please contact Paul Gardner on 01524 782086.