An arts festival celebrating the city’s heritage is due to return for a fourth year this summer.

The Historic Quarter Arts Festival is a competition and exhibition that celebrates the city’s art and artists with an art trail showcasing their work in the city’s historic quarter.

The theme for this year’s festival is Carlisle’s Living History, a brief which can be open to wide interpretation. 

It is hoped that amateur and professional artists will be inspired by the history that is all around us, from the Border Reivers to the recent archaeological excavations at Carlisle Cricket Club and the transformation of the Twisted Wheel into a new brewery.

And a newly-formed art collective is partnering with the Historic Quarter Arts Festival to curate this year’s exhibition.

SoMo, which is run by artists Sophie Steadman and Molly Hughes, will showcase competition entries from the city’s artists, in an event that will run from July 22 to August 18. 

SoMo works in partnership with the University of Cumbria, which is one of this year’s sponsors, along with other local businesses, including Blackbox Architects, Sculpture House Hair, Amato’s restaurant and Hayward Tod.

Artist Malcolm Wilson, of Blackbox Architects, welcomed the return of the festival saying: “The Historic Quarter Arts Festival is a real celebration of culture in our city – and a great opportunity for artists to show their work to the public.”

Intro PR, which is organising the event on behalf of the Historic Quarter network of businesses,  aims to increase footfall around the Historic Quarter by displaying work in shops, offices and cafes as well as in a central exhibition at their offices on Paternoster Row.

There will also be a unique art trail around the area and visitors will be able to follow the trail with a specially-designed map.

To enter the competition or find out more visit the website Historic Quarter Arts Festival.

The closing date for submissions is Monday, July 8.