Kirkgate Quarter Chronicle April 2026

Spring has well and truly sprung in recent weeks, the weather doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do… but we have faith that the sunshine will win the battle!

It’s the perfect time for a clear out and a fresh start, and we’ve got plenty going on this month to help with that. You’ll have had details of our upcoming Music Mondays sessions for kids, and another opportunity to join in with our sound engineering course- what better way to clear out the cobwebs in the old grey matter!

This month we’re also bringing back the humble jumble sale, so if you’ve spent the Easter break cleaning out cupboards do please bring any bits and pieces that you no longer use down to the centre for re-homing. You can drop off donations to our jumble sale on Thursday 23rd april (between 3-5pm or 7-9pm) or on Friday 24th (between 1-3pm). It’s also not long until our spring Cockfrock sale- another great way to recycle.
Fingers crossed all the traffic chaos of recent weeks will soon be behind us! We know the work needs to happen, but it does mean remembering to add time on when you’re in the car. Sometimes we all run a bit later than planned, but we do need to make sure that performances run smoothly, for other audience members and for the artists themselves. If you arrive for an event after the advertised start time you may find the door locked! We usually open it again during intervals, and if you are lucky our volunteers will still be working downstairs and can let you in but we can’t guarantee that will be the case. You can call our box office (on 01900 826448) in the hour before a show to let the duty manager know if you are running late.

For film screenings, we always start the feature film itself at the advertised time (so there’s no hanging around watching endless trailers!) so we do ask you to try and arrive in good time to get your ticket, and a drink from the bar, before the film starts. It can be infuriating for other viewers to have torches/lights shining, and nervous footsteps navigating the auditorium once the film is underway, so if you do find you’re late for a film we advise taking the nearest available seat when you come in, rather than hunting in semi darkness for your booked seat.
@Home@Kirkgate

We have a new activity starting at the centre this month, with an accessible yoga class in the Egremont Room.
Accessible Yoga – Cockermouth

Starting: Friday 17th April
Run by: Susan Smith
When: Fridays from 11:00-12:00 (running with the school terms)
Where: Kirkgate Arts Centre

  • Suitable for all and all equipment provided
  • Optional £3 donation
  • No need to pre-book, just arrive a few minutes early to get settled.
  • Option to stay for a cuppa and a chat after class 🙂
Here’s what Susan has to say about the classes:

“Our Accessible Yoga classes are in step-free community spaces and use chairs to make the sessions as inclusive as possible. All sessions introduce gentle movement and mindful techniques to improve both physical and emotional wellbeing. They’re a chance to make some time for you and maybe make some new friends along the way too.”

You can find out more information about classes and Cumbria Yoga Foundation by heading to their website cumbriayogafoundation.org – maybe see you in class!
Kirkgate Quarter

One of our volunteers is involved with another local charity, aiming to bring people together and provides practical resources. They encourage us to ‘help each other learn evidence-based skills for happier living, feel a sense of belonging and commit to personal action to create more happiness, for ourselves and others.’

There is an online course starting on the 13th April, which Stephen is running alongside his colleague Ray. Stephen can often be found at our Sunday Session events, or helping our customers find their way as a front of house volunteer. Stephen tells us more about the course below…
“I’m going to be running the online Happiness Habits course on behalf of Action for Happiness (a non profit making organisation) for 6 weeks on Monday evenings. It’s designed to develop practical ways of making people’s lives a bit happier (and by extension those around them and their communities). It’s a worldwide based course and I first brought it to Cumbria last year.

The course is pay what you feel (and if you can’t pay anything then that’s ok as the idea is for it to be accessible to anyone).

You can find out more about the course, and the organisation, by visiting their website.

Even if an online course isn’t for you, it’s worth just checking out the Action for Happiness website anyway and seeing the ideas and videos they have freely available there.

The organisation has a very simple idea – that if people’s lives are a bit happier (with built into that being the happiness of other people around them and their communities is part of the personal happiness idea), then the gradual ripple effect will make communities and the world in general a happier place. It’s based on practical small steps and with scientific research behind it.”

We’re all for spreading a bit of happiness at Kirkgate Arts!
Introducing our Kirkgate Arts Out West promoters!

As well as bringing you news of all things Kirkgate, we like to keep you in touch with what’s going on across the region at our Kirkgate Arts Out West venues. These are village halls, libraries, even a former iron ore mine! Places often a little off the beaten track, whose residents are keen to enjoy entertainment without the hassle of having to navigate bus routes or long car journeys.

Artists love them too! Some unusual buildings are in the mix, and always a warm welcome from the Arts Out West promoters. Without the power of volunteers none of these events would happen, so over the next few months we want to shine a light on our promoters, and their unique venues. Keep an eye on the ‘Arts Out West’ category on the what’s on page for upcoming shows in rural venues.
This month we are heading out west to the coast, as we hear from Hayley at the Maryport Settlement.
The Maryport Settlement

“I’m Hayley, I got involved initially at The Maryport Settlement to help with social media and this quickly developed into helping organise new events and activities as well as recruiting new volunteers. Since moving up from Birmingham with my partner Jon 2 years ago I was eager to get involved in the local community. Jon grew up in Maryport so he was just coming home, but I’m originally from West Sussex so it was quite a change.

We’re both keen to get out the house and be part of things happening locally. Mid last year we started a band together called Eccentric Circles (you can find us on instagram) and my partner started a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu gym in Maryport called Maryport Grappling Academy.
The Maryport Settlement has so much potential that I’ve been busy squirreling away trying to organise more activities. This has included – a monthly music group, monthly camera club, monthly writers group, an outdoor music event showcasing local artists, pottery courses, and hopefully soon both woodwork and stone carving courses!
 The space and the view up at The Settlement is incredible, and really I just want to see it busy every day, offering a welcome space for people from all backgrounds, diversities and walks of life. So if you’d like to be part of something exciting developing in Maryport please get in contact via facebook or email hk@castlehilltrust.org.uk“
EMMA’S LETTER
It’s great to see our rural venues getting the attention they deserve in the Chronicle, I love travelling out to visit the venues and see events that they’ve chosen from our ‘menu’ each season. A large part of my role at Kirkgate Arts is seeking out live theatre, music, dance, all sorts of live performance events that can work within smaller venues for the rural touring scheme.

It can be a challenge! Some artists find ingenious ways to make any space work for their show, whether that’s through clever use of lighting and props, or simplifying the show to bring a powerful performance with minimal set and tech. It never ceases to impress me- seeing spaces such as local libraries transformed into magical performance spaces.

We’ve recently had a favourite band of mine return to our rural touring network, did you catch Moscow Drug Club over Easter weekend? What a show! Such talent and charisma, it made for a really entertaining night out, to a few sell out audiences too! I hope they can come back soon. Another group of familiar faces are out and about over the next couple of weeks, starting with a performance in the Kirkgate Centre tonight- Ragged Edge return with another interactive show “The Mystery of the Pirate Lagoon”. they’ll be following that show with apperances at a number of Arts Out West venues.

Soon it will be time for our promoters to get choosing their next seasons shows, always a great way to catch up with everyone and share news and ideas. I’d better make sure my menu is all set for the season launch, so… tap dancing badger troupe…? 15 piece psychedelic folk jazz fusion kazoo ensemble…? contemporary interpretive dance, improvised to the soundtrack of Top Gun…? Ok, ok, just kidding- perhaps a little late for April fooling 😉

Emma Heys
Chief Executive