A NORTH-EAST project involving 15 people from the arts changing places with those in the business sector has proved a success.

Changing Places was the region's project for the first Arts and Business week.

Each participant spent a day in another workplace, looking at how it operates, its skills, its community role and how they might help each other.

Andrew Dixon, chief executive of Northern Arts, said: "This has been an exciting and valuable programme for the arts practitioners as well as the business people.

"We have much to learn from each other and there are schemes in place for people from both the arts and business to work together - let's see more of it."

Mike Hill, director of Cleveland Arts, swapped places with Peter Rowley, chief executive of Darlington Building Society.

He said: "He said he would come for an hour and stayed for six. There was so much that we had in common. and yet so much that a different perspective could help us with."

Rebecca Wilson, communications manager at bus firm Arriva, said: "My day with Alison Lister, at Durham City Arts, showed me just how relevant the arts can be to our company's commitment to education, regeneration and the community."