A REPORT by Arts & Business, the organisation that develops partnerships between business and the arts, shows that investment in the southern region during the financial year 2001/2 was more than £4 million.

The Business Investment in the Arts report reveals that £4,049,497 was invested by business in arts organisations in the south, including Salisbury Festival.

However, investment in museums and crafts went down.

Opera, drama and music received the biggest share of funding.

Lesley Wake, Arts & Business director for the south, said: "Considering the economic climate and the end of the major millennium projects, the region's arts organisations and businesses have done extremely well to increase investment during 2001/02."