As well as this online gallery, catch our top 5 winners in an outdoor exhibition at Florence Arts Centre, Egremont. Opening times: Wed – Sun, 11am-4pm

About the theme
Elements can refer to atmospheric agencies or forces; the weather, a habit or environment, or the defining principles of something. To be in one’s element can signify a pattern of behaviour, or a place that feels familiar to us. An element can refer to a component part that makes up a whole, or substances that cannot be further divided. You might think of the Periodic Table of Elements, of hydrogen, carbon or iron.

What are the elements that make up West Cumbria, its history, landscapes and people? In our changing climate, we continue to see the forces of the elements become more extreme, including here on the West Coast. The idea of being ‘in our element’ for many has been disrupted by the pandemic as the world became much more unfamiliar to us, while perhaps the elements that make up our communities took on a new strength. We saw our immediate surroundings through a different lens, the natural world took on a new significance for many as an antidote to time spent on screens, while we noticed a greater level of detail in seeing the same spaces day after day.