ABOUT 600 students from low-income families will have a chance to discover their artistic potential with a new initiative by the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC).

Highly subsidised art and drama camps and courses will be conducted by professionals from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) School of Young Talents in a first-time collaboration between CDAC and the school.

The first camp for these students, aged seven to 13, started on Friday at Zhenghua Primary School at Bukit Panjang, with 45 children enrolling in the art camp, and 19 in the bilingual compering and drama camp.

'The objective is to give these children access to high-quality arts courses which are usually held privately and at a high cost,' said CDAC chairman of Education, Mr Gan Kim Yong, who is Minister for Manpower.

The camps will be held during the June and December school holidays and courses will also be available at other times of the year at partnering schools, the Nafa campus on Bencoolen Street and CDAC centres.

Students who show potential during the camps and courses will be identified to undergo an assessment by the school, which will offer a part-time certification course to those selected.

'This kind of a cooperation is a win-win situation,' said Madam Fang Yuan, the school's principal. 'Many children are talented, but due to their low family income, the lose the chance,' she said.

Students from families with a monthly household income of not more than $2,500 will be eligible for up to a 95 per cent subsidy.

The CDAC has set aside $150,000 for the programme, over three years. It will look into including even sports, depending on the response.