A consortium to help promote and develop arts and culture in Carlisle has been launched.

It has the backing of the Arts Council, which is understood to be putting £10,000 into the scheme.

News of the group emerged as Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, toured the county for two days.

The University of Cumbria, Tullie House, Prism Arts and Carlisle City Council are the founding partners of the group, which will be known as the Carlisle Cultural Consortium.

Roddy Hunter, the director of the university's Institute of the Arts at Brampton Road, Stanwix, said: "We’ve worked to form the group to help establish a strategic vision for Carlisle.

"Our aim is to develop more of what we have and this interim steering group with the support of the Arts Council will help us begin that process."

Mr Henley praised the work already underway across Carlisle and the county.

He also urged Cumbria's arts and cultural industries to collaborate to better promote the county on the national and international stage.

Councillor Colin Glover, leader of Carlisle City Council, said: "Culture and the arts play an important role in delivering our priorities of economic growth ‎and improving health and wellbeing in our city.

"As one of the founder members of Carlisle Cultural Consortium, we are looking forward to continuing this work, together with our cultural partners, to achieve great things for the city."

Andrew Mackay is director of Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery.

He said: "We are grateful to the university for extending an invitation to the chief executive of the Arts Council to visit the city and to see first-hand many of the fabulous cultural assets that we have, and to have the opportunity to appreciate the city’s diverse programming and learning offer.

"As the lead organisation in the Cumbria Museum Consortium, Tullie House is one of the Arts Council’s major partner museums - one of just 23 across the country. The visit of the chief executive will be a fantastic opportunity to reinforce the message that Arts Council investment is being used to deliver great arts and culture to everyone."

On the first day of his visit, Mr Henley toured Carlisle's historic quarter.

He also watched a showcase from talented young performers at the university's Stanwix Theatre.

Day two of the visit was spent in Ambleside.