For information on 2009, check out our Latest News archive.
Thousands enjoyed the internationally renowned event, Theatre Titanik, in July. We helped bring the stunning event to Carlisle, and have now published great photos of the event.
Visit the Titanic at Carlisle Castle page to find out more.
Expressions of interest from qualified and experienced landscape contractors are being invited as part of an exciting project to create a world-class visitor experience in Carlisle.
Part of a wider programme of investment, the Roman Gateway aims to create a step-change in the quality of Carlisle’s tourism product and establish Carlisle as the western gateway to Hadrian’s Wall.
A quality contractor is required to deliver public realm improvements to six sites within Bitts Park and the Historic Quarter of the City Centre. Works will involve surfacing materials, bespoke street furniture, public art, way marking elements and information boards. It is anticipated that the contract will begin in November 2010.
Contractors wishing to be considered must apply in writing using the prequalification Questionnaire (PQQ). For a copy, please contact Malcolm Mark at Carlisle City Council, Civic Centre CA38QG, Malcolmma@carlisle.gov.uk.
The deadline for completed PQQs and accompanying documentation is 1200 hours (noon) on 20 August 2010. From this information we will shortlist suitable companies who will be invited to tender.
Are you an innovative artist, designer or maker with the vision to make your mark on England’s most northerly city? Carlisle is inviting tenders from visionary artists keen to have their work enjoyed by thousands, as an integral part of an exciting public realm scheme in our Historic Quarter – the heart of our 2,000 year history.
This commission is to develop and deliver bespoke artwork to be incorporated into x9 monolithic benches as part of a public realm enhancement scheme at Castle Street, Carlisle.
Closing date for tenders is 15 July.
View the Castle Street art in the public realm page for the commission advert and full brief.
The Northwest European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) today confirmed over £1½ million of investment to help boost Carlisle’s appeal as a heritage tourism destination.
The major investment will go into Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery as well as public realm works to improve the link between Hadrian’s Wall and the historic centre of Carlisle. See the Roman Gateway press release for more information.
The Minutes of March's Board meeting and January's Historic Quarter Steering Group have now been agreed and posted online.
View the minutes of the March Board meeting or minutes of the Historic Quarter Steering Group.
We're working with English Heritage to help make more of Carlisle's 900 year old Castle. Now English Heritage is looking at designs for improving access to the keep roof, magazine and outer walls and a new interpretation plan. They're also doing some work to inform any future development and adaptation of the vacant 19thc. former barrack buildings of the Outer Ward for alternative uses. Marketing of the Gallipoli and Arroyo blocks will be taken forward shortly. Proposals to relocate Cumbria’s Military Museum from the Inner Ward to the Outer Ward are also being developed. See our HIstoric Quarter pages for more about our work with Carlisle's historic attractions.
The heart of Carlisle will be transformed into an outdoor theatre for two nights only on July 23 and 24 for a spectacular re-enactment of the sinking of the Titanic. This dazzling event has won international acclaim from audiences and critics around the world, and has been brought to Carlisle with our support. Check out the press release for more info or our Culture pages for more info on our world-class events programme and grassroots cultural development work.
We're putting the finishing touches to the first ever Interpretive Framework for historic Carlisle. The final stakeholder workshop was held in May, and we're grateful to the many people who got involved in creating a compelling story for Carlisle. The story will now be unveiled by the end of the month, with exciting key concepts including The Compact City, 2,000 Timeline, and The Cultural City.
When implemented, will raise the city's profile as must-see destination - in turn boosting visitor spend in the area and attracting more investment to the city. Check out our HIstoric Quarter pages to find out more about our work to promote historic Carlisle, or the Culture pages to see which events have attracted international audiences to the city.
Work to create a world-class, must-see attraction at the western end of Hadrian’s Wall has already started. The multi-million pound scheme will improve people’s experience of Hadrian’s Wall Trail and create a new Roman Gallery at Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery. The new 400m² space will include cutting-edge interactive technology to explore the concepts of frontiers, focusing on the Roman Empire, Carlisle, and Hadrian's Wall. Signs and markers will be installed to link the gallery and the Historic Quarter to Hadrian’s Wall Trail. The £2.35m attraction will be open by summer next year and is expected to draw an extra 50,000 visitors a year to historic Carlisle.
See our HIstoric Quarter pages for more about our work with Carlisle's historic attractions.
The future is set to look brighter for the wonderful Methodist Central Hall, in the heart of the Historic Quarter on Fisher Street. The Prospectus for this currently vacant Grade II listed building was published today. The document sets out the Hall's features and invites visionary organisations and individuals to bring fresh life to Carlisle’s hidden gem.
The Prospectus was commissioned by Carlisle Methodist Circuit, supported by Carlisle Renaissance, facilitated by TASKSCAPE ASSOCIATES Ltd.
Check out the Methodist Central Hall Prospectus for yourself or see our HIstoric Quarter pages for more about our work with Carlisle's historic attractions.
We're helping Carlisle Cathedral improve its offer for local people and visitors. We've agreed funding - matched by the Cathedral Development Trust - to progress work on the Fratry and detailed archaeological work to inform conservation and heritage issues linked to this development.
See our HIstoric Quarter pages for more information about our work with Carlisle's historic attractions.
What do a Big Brother style diary room, a torchlit parade and thousands of cardboard boxes have in common? Find out in our improved Culture section.
Check out the Culture pages to find out more about our work to develop Carlisle's cultural offer.
Cumbria County Council Local Committee has now agreed design proposals for Court Square. The scheme is designed to create a better sense of arrival at Citadel railway station and improve the route for pedestrians into the city centre. The historic station building is one of only three Grade II stations in the North West and one of the most important early stations in England.
Next steps include consultation and applying for funding. Meanwhile, a brief for a Conservation Management Plan for the whole of the station is being prepared.
See our HIstoric Quarter pages for more information about our work with Carlisle's historic assets.
Cumbria County Council's Cabinet today considered a report outlining the key issues facing the Cumbrian economy and were updated on changes to strategy development and delivery arrangements. Cumbria County Council will be involved in discussions about the City Council's economic development review, and look set to undertake a refresh of the Cumbria Economic Strategy.
Read the County Council's Economic Development report online and visit our Achievements page.
Thousands of children, families, and cardboard have made for spectacular free fun in the heart of Carlisle. Brought to you with Renaissance's support, this internationally-loved three day event draws to a close today.
Find out more in the We Built This City page.
The City Council's Executive has today approved in principle a proposed new staffing structure within which the work of Carlisle Renaissance will be subsumed. The report notes that the council needs to make economic development services sustainable over the medium term, and that Carlisle has reaped huge financial and in-kind benefits since Renaissance was set up. The Transformation Programme report included information about Renaissance's significant achievements to date. The Renaissance Board will discuss a more detailed report in its next meeting on 25 June.
Read the City Council's Transformation report online and visit our Achievements page.
Carlisle’s ‘historic core’ is set to become much more pedestrian friendly as the work on Castle Street gets underway next Monday (7 June). The scheme, which was given the go-ahead by Cumbria County Council’s Local Committee for Carlisle in January, will help attract increased investment into the city as part of a package of projects for the area.
Find out more in the Castle Street press release.
We've now agreed with the Carlisle Tourism Partnership to deliver events and marketing activities that promote Carlisle’s heritage tourism offer. Marketing activities include participation in Britain’s Heritage Cities 2010/11 campaign and the development of heritage and culture content on the Discover Carlisle website.
See our HIstoric Quarter and Culture sections for more about our work to promote Carlisle's heritage and cultural offer.
Read our culture column in March's Carlisle Living. We support the magazine's expanded culture section, covering the city's unique and rich scene.
Read the section online in our Media Centre and check out our Culture pages to find out more about our cultural development work.
We support Carlisle Living magazine's expanded culture section, covering the city's unique and rich scene. This issue, now available online, has our first opinion piece column. What do you think?
We've now published our first photo gallery, offering snapshots of some of Carlisle's sights and events using the free web tool Flickr. We'll be adding new pictures as we go along, and you can too!
Check out the Photo Gallery under News & Publications.
Today we brought together key movers and shakers in the culture/creative sector to debate issues and opportunities around archives in Cumbria.
Visit our Culture pages for more about our work.
The Minutes of our Board meeting on 25 January are now available online.
Read the Board Meeting Minutes (Jan 2010) in full.
Thanks to Renaissance's support, Carlisle Living magazine has published its expanded culture section, covering the city's unique and rich scene. Culture is just as important to a city's regeneration as physical infrastructure, and supporting the local initiative is just one aspect of how we're working to unlock the full economic potential of Carlisle's cultural offer.
Partners have now received feedback from bid assessors for the UK City of Culture competition. Ian McNichol, Director of Carlisle Renaissance, said: "The assessors considered our bid to be well thought through and make good use of the city's strengths, which is pleasing since we spent a lot of time finding out what cultural activities people wanted to see more of across Carlisle. They also felt that we had put together a deliverable cultural programme that would help advance the cultural and regeneration plans of the city. The challenge now is to maintain the momentum."
Marie Whitehead, Director of the Carlisle Tourism Partnership, said: “Working together with partners to develop a deliverable cultural development plan for Carlisle has been invaluable, and the feedback on our bid will help us all move forward on this important work. I’m looking forward to a great cultural year in the city, starting with a fantastic cultural events programme and more to come.”
Read the UK City of Culture feedback or check out Carlisle's Cultural Events 2010 programme
Renaissance and the Carlisle Tourism Partnership, together with other partners, have today published Carlisle's first cultural events programme for 2010. With culture higher up the city’s agenda, thanks to our bid for UK City of Culture, this year Carlisle has a jam-packed calendar of high-quality events. Kick-starting with the spectacular Welcoming the Light on 13 March, this year marks a new era for creativity in Carlisle and many more opportunities for local people, visitors, and creative practitioners to get involved.
Check out the exciting Cultural Events 2010 programme or visit Historic Carlisle for more detail.
The minutes of a special meeting of the City Council’s Resources Overview and Scrutiny panel were issued today. The meeting, held last week (Tuesday 26 January), explored progress made by Carlisle Renaissance. The partnership’s Chair and Director outlined Renaissance’s achievements so far.
Read the Minutes of the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel online.
We're supporting THIS IS CARLISLE, an inquisitive, critical and curious look at the great border city, presented by Love Carlisle and the Bank Gallery. Through collaboration with the Cumberland News and D&H Photographers, the Bank Gallery exhibits stunning archive photographs of the city and surrounding area, together with entries to the 2009 Love Carlisle Photography Competition and other iconic images of the city from private collections.
THIS IS CARLISLE runs from the 28 January to the 4 February at the Bank Gallery, Carlisle. Gallery opening times are 12pm to 4pm Monday to Friday. The Bank Gallery is situated above the Griffin public house, Court Square.
Bank Gallery (above the Griffin pub), Court Square, Carlisle, CA1 1QX. Further information at http://www.lovecarlisle.co.uk/. Please follow signs from the pub entrance.
The Minutes from the Historic Quarter Steering Group meeting on 1 October are now available online.
Find out more on our Historic Quarter Group page.
Carlisle is set to shine during a magical free Lakes Alive event including a torchlight procession designed to celebrate the once in a lifetime illumination of Hadrian’s Wall on Saturday 13 March 2010.
Welcoming the Light is being organised by Lakes Alive, in association with Carlisle Renaissance and Carlisle Tourism Partnership.
Find out more about Welcoming the Light online.
The Minutes from our Board meeting on 1 October are now available online.
Read the Board meeting Minutes (Oct 2009).
Today we publish our first Annual Review. It takes stock of what we have achieved following the establishment of the Carlisle Renaissance Board and Delivery Team and approval of our Action Plan for 2009-12. Over the last 12 months we have made real progress in bringing forward the delivery of our ambitious agenda for Carlisle.
Read the Annual Review 2009 and feel free to give us your own thoughts on info@carlislerenaissance.co.uk.
