Two thousand artistically-talented children from ethnic groups in southwest and northwest China will be able to go to school and receive education in the arts in 2000.

The project to help cultivate skilled kids in poverty-stricken areas is one of the ten projects on the yearly agenda for the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC).

Gao Zhanxiang, vice-president of the CFLAC, said the project was created in an answer to Chinese President Jiang Zemin's call for more artistic talent. The foundation and its Guangzhou branch will work cooperatively on the program.

Children's dramas and related symposium will be held around June 1, the International Children's Day, Gao said, adding that more playwrights are encouraged to write scripts for children.

Other performances include an evening party for Spring Festival, a series of literature and art activities for Chinese around the world and the first national TV arts festival.

Founded in 1949, the CFLAC includes 120 national art associations, 31 local branches and 5 industry branches with a total number of over one million members.