BOLLYWOOD will hit Blackburn next summer -- thanks to the Commonwealth Games.

The North West Arts Board is investing £35,000 in East Lancashire as part of a £1million Games project across the region, aimed at delivering arts festivals which will run alongside the largest multi-sport extravaganza ever to be held in the UK. The Games will be held in Manchester in July.

Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery is to benefit to the tune of £19,000, and Burnley Youth Theatre will receive £16,000. Blackburn curator and museum manager Stephen Whittle said: "We're delighted our application has been successful. It's a significant amount of money -- more than we're used to receiving."

He explained that the museum held a significant collection of about 80 Bollywood film posters, acquired in the 1980s and dating from the industry's early days in India. These will be mounted as a major exhibition -- and an artist from the sub-continent will be commissioned to paint roadside hoardings for publicity.

"We will also be putting on special film shows and asking local people for their memories," Mr Whittle said.

The exhibition will be part of the Cultureshock project, which is designed to give the Games an arts and cultural strand.

North West Arts Board chief executive Michael Eaken said: "The arts organisations representing the North West in Cultureshock will showcase and celebrate arts and cultre in every art form -- from community activity and street entertainment through to venue-based and touring work and flagship events.

"The quality of applications was outstanding, with very strong representation from arts organisations across the North West."