Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle : December 2023

Welcome to the December 2023 edition of the Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle. What an amazing year for Kirkgate Arts & Heritage! At the Kirkgate Centre we’ve seen over 160 big screen events, over 50 live music performances plus exhibitions, table top sales, theatre shows, Cockfrock events, workshops and more over the last 12 months. It’s no wonder all our volunteers and staff …

Party will generate a little Christmas cheer for those in need

Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre is staging a Christmas party with a difference next week …. with £2 from every ticket sold going to support a local foodbank. Popular seven-piece Cumbrian outfit Soul Junction will be bringing the best of Soul and Motown to the Kirkgate’s end of year party on Saturday, December 16 (8pm). And for the third year running, a …

Press Release: Kirkgate saves Christmas for Carlisle schoolchildren!

Kirkgate saves Christmas for Carlisle schoolchildren!School children in Carlisle will enjoy their annual helping of Christmascheer despite missing out on a trip to the city’s pantomime – thanks toCockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre! This year’s panto at the Sands Centre had to be cancelled after thediscovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the roofof the venue’s events space. However, the Kirkgate …

Press Release: Discovering the history and heritage of Wigton and its people

NEWS RELEASE Immediate: December 1, 2023 A unique project that celebrates Cumbria’s diverse heritage by capturing personal experiences through a series of oral history workshops arrives in Wigton next week. Called In My Shoes, a series of events featuring storytelling and performances is being held in community centres across the region aimed at inspiring people to come forward and share …

Press Release: Kirkgate Arts Awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service

NEWS RELEASE Immediate: November 14, 2023 The Kirkgate Arts and Heritage Group in Cockermouth has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK. The prestigious award, equivalent to the MBE, has been made in recognition of the exceptional work volunteers do from their base at the town’s Kirkgate Centre for the …

Press Release: New exhibition highlights Cockermouth’s shoemaking heritage

PRESS RELEASE 26th October 2023 An exhibition telling the story of how boots, shoes and clogs were made in Cockermouth for several hundred years opens at the town’s Kirkgate Centre next week. Dead animals, dog and pigeon poo, and even the bark from oak trees were all once used in the shoemaking process! The exhibition reveals the history of making …

Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle : October 2023

Welcome to the October 2023 edition of the Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle. This month the Chronicle has a guest writer! If you follow us on Facebook you’ll have spotted our Kirkgate Pixie taking over the reins every now and again, with behind the scenes snippets. We thought we’d hand over to our resident pixie (our Operations Manager, Katie Gentry) for October’s …

Press Release: An “Absolutely Fabulous” Pink October line-up at Kirkgate

NEWS RELEASE Immediate: October 3, 2023 An ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Pink October line-up at Kirkgate How much pink can one town take? Cockermouth’s entertainment venue the Kirkgate Centre has a run of absolutely fabulous girlie fashion, glamour and fun events lined up from Saturday, 7 October. Cockermouth’s legendary pre-loved fashion shopping experience Cockfrock returns on Saturday and Sunday (7 and 8 …