A NEW art group has been formed in Cumbria and they are hoping to get more members in Whitehaven. 

Cumbria Outsider Visual Artists group was founded in January 2024, and it already has 65 members from around the region. 

The group was the idea of Denny Derbyshire and Timothy Leeson who also started South Lakes Arts Collective which has 900 members. 

Mr Leeson said: "Outsider art is a specific art genre that distances itself from traditional art and can be brutally raw, often childlike but most importantly honest.

"It is not everyone's cup of tea as after all taste in art is subjective. 

"We already have members from Barrow, Ulverston, Kendal, Carlisle, and Maryport. 

"We want to push the boundaries in our art and provide a platform for people that think outside the box.

"Outsiders can be defined as people that are marginalised, maybe through poor mental health. Artists who are self-taught or those who work outside of the parameters of traditional art rules and taste. 

"We would welcome artists from the West Coast as it is rich in culture and produced fantastic artists throughout history.

"Membership is free, we have a Facebook page, and we hope to support each other and gain exhibitions."