A LAUNCH of a festival showcasing the Lake District has seen a new sculpture unveiled.

The Lakes Ignite Festival runs will run until July to celebrate the Lake District becoming a World Heritage Site.

The latest of the installations to take its place for the festival is a sculpture depicting a shoal of Arctic Char.

Aileen McEvoy, curator for Lakes Ignite, said: “The artists that have been selected have proposed really interesting, challenging commissions that respond to the theme cultural landscape in a thought provoking way.

"The artists' role is to encourage us to think afresh about the world around us.

"Each of the six artworks will present a fresh perspective on the heritage of Lake District. I hope they will spark conversations and return visits."

The sculpture was hand-made in steel by Brian and George Fell and is now in place at the Ambleside Salutation Hotel.

Usha Mistry, from Lakes Culture, said: “Lakes Ignite is about bringing together tourism and the arts.

"The Lake District has a defined culture, rich in music, theatre, poetry and painting.

"We want to show that Cumbria is also a great place to experience new contemporary culture and that the iconic landscapes of the Lake District continue to influence artists today."

The festival will show six newly-commissioned contemporary pieces of art at a number of spots around the Lake District.