Cumbria Institute of Arts

Cumbria Institute of the Arts has a long history in Carlisle which began with the establishment of the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in October 1822 with the purpose of encouraging young artists. This led to the establishment of a new Academy of Arts in 1823 and in 1950 was renamed as the Carlisle College of Art. The institution was officially designated a higher education Institute on 1 August 1997. To reflect its maturity, academic growth and development within Cumbria, the institution gained approval from the Privy Council to change its name to Cumbria Institute of the Arts in 2002.