FROM music concerts to arts trails and sculpture exhibitions - arts organisations in Test Valley have been given a boost following funding granted by Hampshire County.

Art in the Garden, an outdoor sculpture and craft exhibition at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey will receive £1,000.

The exhibition - a must for art lovers who like the great outdoors - will take place from 3 July-3 October, and will include workshops, tours, talks and educational work with Hampshire schools.

The Andover Music Club will receive £300 for a series of six classical concerts to be performed at Cricklade Theatre from 23 September this year to 17 March 2005.

The organisation promotes artists who are new to performing in Andover and enables students from Cricklade College to attend pre-concert rehearsals by artists.

Open Art, an arts trail of artist and craft makers' studios in Test Valley from 5-20 June, has been awarded £750.

The project will enable people to meet artists and see the processes involved in creating craft and visual art and will include work with schools to ensure that the trail is relevant to young people.

Finally, for music lovers, the county council has awarded Romsey Choral Society £500 for a concert at Romsey Abbey on 3 July.

The county council's executive member for recreation and heritage, Cllr John Waddington said: "These projects bring high quality arts into local communities, helping us to achieve two of our key aims - making the arts accessible to everyone and improving quality of life.

"We are committed to supporting the arts in Hampshire - ensuring that people are able to experience a wide range of high quality events and performances without having to leave the county."