A brand new set of enormous pieces of public art are aboutto be added to the Cumbrian landscape.

Five metres high and distinctive by their style of strips of metal, a huge bull and a mare with a foal have been commissioned by Cumberland Council to mark the completion of the new Carlisle southern link road.

Not without some differences of opinion about them, the new work will dominate two roundabouts for thousands of road users to see for years to come.

They’ve been created by Cumbrian born blacksmith and welder Ellie Barden at her forge and workshop near Penrith. On a fresh winter’s morning, Tom Speight went to meet Ellie as she finalised her work, to discover how she became inspired to become and remain an artist in Cumbria….

Barrow Music Weekender returns this month with four days of live music right across town. Now in its fifth year, the festival sees people of all ages come together for fantastic – and mostly free – music experiences.

There’s a musical trail map, a mini conference looking at thehealth of live music and performance in the town, workshops, dancing and live performance in venues right across the musical spectrum. There’ll also be a chance to see and experience Light Organ, an amazing audio reactive artwork that brings sound to life.

Tom Speight has been to meet the people who make it allhappen - beginning with a challenge from the festival organiser.

If you need to sort your leg up buttock from your insidehipe, then a new exhibition celebrating Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling at Florence Arts Centre in Egremont is the place for you.

Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling is a traditional formof “backhold” wrestling with origins going back to Viking times. It has strong cultural connections with farming and heavy industry; men would wrestle after work in their long-john underwear.

“Wrestle” tells the story of the sport through original artwork by Janet Moss, contemporary photography by Chris Routledge, archive photos and costumes and a community embroidery project.

And to celebrate the exhibition’s opening, a demonstrationof some of the holds and tactics was put on too. Tom Speight went along to watch to find out more…