North, south, east and west - there's art around every corner. The whole Kendal Windows on Art event has been another huge success - with the High Street window displays on show for another week until September 26.

From Marie Wright's engaging abstract landscape of Birkrigg Common at Home Designs, on Sandes Avenue, to Annie Hudson's charcoal and acrylic drawing at Kirkland's Kendal Trophies and plenty of others in between the Kendal Windows on Art trail provides a long and winding road through the town.

The Spring Seas of Liz Collinson's clay work sit well within the wares of North Country Crystal, on Highgate, and Rob Hardy's mixed media of aluminium foil and silver leaf fits perfectly with the contemporary homeware of Gear, at Elephant Yard.

Ottaker's bookstore, on Stricklandgate/Westmorland Shopping Centre, has done itself proud with an excellent window display linked to the Lake Artists Society centenary book penned by Jane Renouf, who will be on hand at the bookstore tomorrow (Saturday) between 11am-1pm to sign copies of her tome as well as chat to customers.

Exhibitions such as the splendid Big Picture Exhibition at K Village and the Danny and Lara Clahane show at Peter Blaskett's Highgate gallery Signature also continue until September 26 and October 2 respectively.

The grand finale though, is the Brewery Open and the Schools and Colleges exhibitions, both running at the Kendal arts centre until October 17.

Although it looks impressive at the Brewery, the Schools and Colleges show is just the tip of the iceberg as regards the fantastic artwork being produced in the educational establishments around the region.

It justifies a larger space and needs some benevolent soul to offer a venue and find the time to liaise with art teachers across the area.

And so to the joint KWoA awards night and the Brewery Open bash compered by the Kendal venue's visual arts officer Trevor Avery.

Founder and leading light of KWoA Carole Hamby presented most prizes, eulogising about the high standard of work entered.

Westmorland Gazette editor Mike Glover reiterated his message about how important arts and culture are to the economic well-being of the area and praised the interaction between KWoA and local businesses before he handed over the newspaper's award for best window.

Guest speaker for the evening was John Fox, director of the pioneering Welfare State International, at Ulverston, a man with incredible imagination and a great passion for the arts in the community.

He described himself as a "pathological optimist" and his speech covered Art: Back and Beyond. John gave a snapshot with the aid of slides - of WSI since its inception in 1968 through to this weekend's Ulverston Lantern procession and WSI's latest programme of work, drawing together the people from around Morecambe Bay.

Referring to the Brewery event he said: "When such a vast amount of creative energy is demonstrated in a party atmosphere, with the world apparently torn with confusion and hatred, such a multi-generational and multi- talented moment has to be a cause for celebration."

Especially significant, he added, was the fact that a large percentage of work was created by young artists and he was particularly impressed by paintings by Eva Ullrich and Nina Claridge, and how they had updated familiar concepts.

Winners

The Westmorland Gazette Best Window Award: Sopers, on Stramongate, hosting the artwork of Simon Nixon. Best Small Window Display: Impulse Flowers, on Highgate, featuring Martin Leigh's artwork. Most Noteworthy Artwork: Graham Lowe's Lifemask 1, exhibited at Turner Scott, on Highgate. Most Noteworthy Art highly commended: Rob Hardy's Our House mixed media, showing at Gear, in Elephant Yard.

Student award winners. GCSE/ under-16s: Janie Oates, Queen Katherine School. Highly commended: Sarah Brockbank, Lakes School. A Level 16-18s: Laura Downhill, Kirkbie Kendal. Highly commended: Eva Ullrich, Queen Katherine School. Over 18s: Liz Kearsley, Kendal College. Highly commended: Katie Kenworthy, Lancaster and Morecambe College.

Kendal Windows, Cycle the Scarecrow: 1 Castle Park School; 2 Dean Gibson School; 3 Vicarage Park School.

Brewery Open Winner: Rosemary Smith featuring three drawings which are a progression and development from one sketch using different types of media, including animation via video and stills. Highly commended both AsArt and Robert Fraser.