A key strand of the Lakes Alive programme is Made in the Lakes, a programme to commission and to create new pieces of work here in Cumbria that then have the potential to go off and tour the region, country and beyond.

We were delighted that in the first year of Lakes Alive we were able to commission three brand new street arts shows from leading UK street arts companies -Plunge Boom (The Troll's Kitchen), Artizani (The Cabaret of Dr Caligari), and Axial Dance (Lance and Brenda). Two of these were created  at Lanternhouse International and all had their world premieres in Cumbria during summer 2009. The community project, Welcoming the World which created its own visual spectacle in the form of 100 giant flags, was also a Made in the Lakes project, available as an installation to tour beyond 2009. 

This year, we are very pleased to announce that we have commissioned three more brand new pieces of work that will be performed during the 2010 season and beyond.

The first, Sufi:Zen is a site-specific piece of work from SE Asian dance company Akademi. Inspired by the mystic traditions of Sufism and Zen and Furness Abbey (Barrow in Furness) itself, Sufi:Zen will have its world premiere at the Abbey on April 29 for the official opening of the Lakes Alive season. Sufi:Zen will then go on to tour other UK festivals before returning to Mintfest at the end of the Lakes Alive season. 

The second Made in the Lakes commission for 2010 is from Cumbrian artist, Dan Fox. Adrift is a brand new musical show which will have its world premiere in Whitehaven on May 29 and 30 at the new, Lakes Alive two day harbour-based festival. 

The third and final commission is from Frolicked, a self-making puppet company based in Yorkshire. Frolicked have been Lakes Alive regulars over the years and this new, larger scale show has been created specifically for and inspired by Lakeland woodlands. It will premiere during the Lakes Alive: Into the Woods Tours which will will take place at Talkin Tarn Country Park (Brampton), Whinlatter and Grizedale Forests from July 28 - 30 2010.