SOME of the most influential and innovative women in the arts, industry and science will be celebrated as part of a special season of events coming up.

Inspirational Women is a series of comedy and theatre shows from some of the UK’s most promising female artists and performers, exploring the lives of women in recent British social, political history.

The innovative series - part of the new Brewery Arts Centre season - includes Emergence, stunning contemporary dance from a new all-female dance outfit staged at the Kendal venue on February 28. The innovative company of 12 dancers heads out on its first tour with fresh works created especially by Phoenix Dance Theatre’s artistic director, Sharon Watson and company artistic director Joss Arnott.

Also featured will be Gut Girls, staged on March 8/9, by the Brewery Young Actors Company, a play about a group of Edwardian women who choose to join the men in the cattle market gutting sheds rather than work in domestic service.

Pencilled in too is Where There’s Muck There’s Bras, a thought-provoking show from poet Kate Fox celebrating the north’s finest female politicians, entertainers, sports stars, activists, writers, innovators and mould breakers, playing the Brewery on March 22, and Vulvarine by Fat Rascal Theatre, on April 3, a comedy piece about an ordinary woman who transforms into a superhero when her HRT goes drastically wrong.

On April 25, Unsung explores the untold and under-acknowledged stories of four pioneering and inspirational female figures from the past and on May 10, Smoking Apples Theatre brings Flux to Kendal, an innovative puppet show about a female physicist forging a path in the male-dominated world of science

Comedy fans can see shows from two stars of the small and big screen in Rachel Parris (March 6) and Jessie Cave (March 1).

Rachel shot to fame in 2018 thanks to her role as spoof correspondent on BBC2’s hugely popular topical comedy show The Mash Report and her show It’s Fun to Pretend received rave reviews at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe. She is also a mainstay of period drama comedy improv crew, and Brewery regulars, Austentatious.

Harry Potter fans will recognise Jessie Cave from the hit movies in which she starred as Hogwarts pupil, and short-lived girlfriend of Ron Wesley, Lavender Brown. Jessie has since carved out a successful niche for herself as a comedian with her quirky, confessional style of storytelling.

Other laughter makers blazing a trail top the Brewery include TV favourite Ed Gamble (February 1) with his new show Blizzard and Mark Thomas (March 13) with his trademark political musing, this time about the future of the NHS.

As for music, the new programme features several massive gigs from bands more used to playing venues far bigger than the venue’s Malt Room.

Manchester’s Slow Readers Club kick off their first ever UK headline tour in Kendal on March 2. The indie rockers are huge in their home city, selling out venues such as the O2 Apollo which has a capacity of 3,500, so the gig represents a real coup for the Brewery.

Similarly, Nottingham punk duo Sleaford Mods (March 16) are used to performing at festivals across Europe and their gig at the Brewery coincides with the launch of their new album Eaton Alive.

Craig Charles will have the Malt Room bouncing with his funk and soul show on January 25 as part of a line up which includes top Newcastle soul outfit Smoove and Turrell.

Meanwhile, Mali’s Songhoy Blues (Tuesday, January 22) are recognised as one of the world’s finest exponents of desert blues. The band formed the country’s capital Bamako after they were forced to flee their homes in Timbuktu due to civil war, and they shot to prominence in 2013 thanks to Blur frontman Damon Albarn’s Africa Express music project which provided a platform for their sound.

Folk music always features heavily in the Brewery music programme and the Kendal art centre’s new season keeps up the tuneful tradition with an eclectic mix of performers.

First up is Band of Burns on Saturday, January 26, a unique collaboration of musicians paying tribute to the work of Robert Burns, followed on Monday, February 14, by high-octane folk ‘n’ roll from Newcastle’s Holy Moly and the Crackers, who this year had one of their tracks featured on the hit Hollywood blockbuster Oceans 8.

There will also be three gigs from stunning female folk vocalists: a solo show from Karen Matheson on March 27, the voice behind Celtic rock supergroup Capercaillie; Moya Brennan from the Irish folk rock band Clannad on March 30; and the voice of Brewery favourite Cara Dillon will grace the place on Friday, April 26.

Brewery box office 01539-725133.