MORE than £7m has been given to arts organisations in Hampshire.

Grants to the whole of the south-east have gone up by nearly £1m and in the latest round of donations, more than 100 organisations in the region pick up some cash.

But Arts Council bosses warned that, unless the government sets aside more money for the arts, then valued community theatres, galleries and drama workshops could face cuts in the future.

While the south-east will see more money for the arts, the rest of the country is receiving the same amount as last year.

In Southampton, the Nuffield theatre is in line for more than £1.6m over three years, and the John Hansard Gallery, based at Southampton Institute, picked up a bumper grant of nearly £850,000.

Smaller organisations, such as Artsway, an exhibition and workshop venue in Sway, near Lymington, and touring theatre company Forest Forge, based in Ringwood, also received funding until 2008.

For some organisations, such as Winchester's Theatre Royal, funding has only been set for the coming year, and the handout from March 2006 will be decided at a later date.

Felicity Harvest, from the Arts Council England South East, said: "If there is not a better settlement for the arts in the 2006 spending review, it will mean real cuts to these arts organisations.

"We must work together with our partners in the arts and in government to make the case for the arts as strongly and effectively as we can. We must begin that work now."

She added that by April 2008, 19 organisations in the south-east would cease to receive regular funding.

John Hansard Gallery director Stephen Foster said: "It is a tribute to the Arts Council that it has been prepared to make difficult decisions in order to prevent the full impact of the funding difficulties on our wonderful plans for the region."

WHERE DID THE MONEY GO?

Hampshire Dance, Eastleigh - a total of £137,660 over three years.

The Point, Eastleigh - £15,759 in one year

Works Well Productions, Eastleigh - £21,013 in one year

AMH, an audience development organisation in Winchester - £334,780 over three years

Artsway, New Forest - £337,981 over three years

Forest Forge theatre company, New Forest - £341,103 over three years

Art Asia, Southampton - £279,651 over three years

Artswork, Southampton - £416,120 over three years

The John Hansard Gallery, Southampton - £846,250 over three years

The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton - £1,680,896 over three years

Development for new performing arts space, Southampton - £137,700 over one year

Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton - £83,898 over three years

Pimlico Opera, Winchester - £70,616 over three years

Platform 4, Winchester - £21,031 over one year

The Reading Agency, Winchester - £637,722 over three years

The Winchester Gallery, Winchester - £357,562 over three years

Theatre Royal, Winchester - £31,519 over one year