A new festival of music, literature and performance is coming to the Lake District as part of a wider ambition to make the national park an attractive place for under 35s to live and work.

‘Aerial’ will take place in and around Ambleside and Windermere in March 2020.

The first wave of acts has already been announced, and includes Hayden Thorpe - formerly of Kendal indie band Wild Beasts - and poet and recording artist Kate Tempest.

There will also be a visual and auditory retelling of Richard King’s book ‘The Lark Ascending’, which explores the historic relationship between Britain’s music, its people and its landscape.

The production is coming straight from the Barbican in London, where it is playing on March 24, to St Mary’s Church, Ambleside, three days later.

The event is the brainchild of Luke Bainbridge, former deputy editor of Observer Music Monthly, and Kendal-born Sam Hunt, creative director of the London Borough of Culture 2019.

Mr Hunt said: “We’re so excited to be able to produce a festival of this calibre against the unique backdrop of the Lakes.

“It’s been an inspirational place for so many and it’s fantastic to be able to welcome artists who have been influenced by the area to perform at the inaugural Aerial and importantly create new work inspired by the Lakes.”

Aerial was commissioned by Great Place Lakes and Dales, a National Lottery and Arts Council-funded initiative.

The festival is part of the initiative’s ambition to address the issue of a below-average number of under 35s living and working in the two national parks. 

Lindsey Heden, programme manager with Great Place Lakes and Dales, said: “It promises to be a really exciting weekend and a true celebration of local subculture, creativity and expression, that we hope will inspire future generations.”

Organisers are also looking for submissions for a 24-hour radio broadcast at the festival, which is taking place between March 26 and March 29, 2020. Visit www.aerialfestival.com for more information and to book tickets to individual events.