BOLTON'S Octagon Theatre, the annual Bolton Festival and events at the Bury Met entertainment complex will all benefit from arts sponsorship from Manchester Airport.

A £650,000 sponsorship programme over the next 12 months has been announced by airport bosses.

Each year, the airport allocates one per cent of its gross operating profits to arts sponsorship. And this year Bolton and Bury councils will each receive £5,000 towards projects.

A play called Boston Marriage being put on at the Octagon will qualify for sponsorship.

Other grants made in the North-west include ones to he Halle Orchestra, the Imperial War Museum North, Opera North (celebrating its 25th anniversary), the Black Arts Development Project and the Queer Up North festival.

Manchester Airport Chairman, Cllr Brian Harrison, said: "Manchester Airport is proud to be one of the largest sponsors of the arts in the North-west.

"We are passionately committed to enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the sheer delight the arts can bring. Since launching our sponsorship programme in 1989, we've given millions of pounds to arts projects."

Manchester Airport Arts Sponsorship Manager, Sue Jones, said: "We are very excited about our arts programme for 2003/4. Our main objective is to make the arts more accessible by sponsoring a diverse range of theatre, music, art and dance.

"The airport is also committed to creating a climate in which truly inspirational work can be staged, whether it's by fringe theatre groups or world-renowned classical orchestras. We believe we have been very successful in creating that blend and are sure audiences will agree."