Many companies may be cutting expenses as much as possible, but arts sponsorship is doing better than ever. The trend is steadily upwards. Sponsorship overall now takes up perhaps $50 million, or three times as much as it did five years ago. Most of that may go on sport—but the spending on arts has risen the fastest of all and may now be worth $4 million a year.The extra help is easy to explain.Banks, insurance companies, the oil industry and tobacco firms provide three quarters of funds going into arts sponsorship.All four groups tend to be unpopular—which makes them all the keener to display their social concern and so build up some good will.