north west for 2012

Lakes Alive is an annual season of outdoor performances which brings the towns, villages and spectacular landscapes of Cumbria alive. Featuring artists from across the world at the very top of their game, Lakes Alive brings communities together in celebration of achievement and excellence, inspiring the ambitions of the next generation of artists.

Lakes Alive established the North West as a centre for excellence in street arts and is one of the national success stories of the Cultural Olympiad. In 2012 Lakes Alive invites French Alchemists Ilotopie to transform the surface of Derwentwater into a fantastical watery-wonderland. Some of the UK’s finest street performers will captivate and charm you with music, dance, magic, mayhem, storytelling and tomfoolery on the streets. A breath-taking airborne show featuring live music and aerial dance by Voala (Argentina) will be in Whitehaven Harbour. And the world premiere of On The Night Shift by Les Commandos Percu in Windermere will be one of the opening events of the London 2012 Festival.

"The Lakes Alive Programme, which in the last few months has presented international work from all over the world, is fast making Cumbria a major destination for street arts audiences and artists." - Lyn Gardner, Guardian