In promoting the cultural arts in Taiwan, the Council for Cultural Affairs will start to subsidize a fund to encourage students to attend cultural performances.

According to the minister of CCA, the cultural creative law will be implemented next February, however, not all levels of the educational system can receive the benefit at the moment.

Whether it's listening to a concert, or watching a performance, about 900,000 students in the country will be subsidized to attend cultural events as early as next winter.

The CCA said it will announce the program around Aug. this year.

The Council has been aggressively pursuing money from the central government ever since the cultural creative law was passed this year.

But due to the country's fiscal problems, the council can only test run the program first.

Some experts believe classes from each grade should be included in this test run.

Assistant Professor Jerry Hsia of NTNU's Graduate Institute of Performing Arts said the subsidized program can help increase the number of people who appreciate the arts because kids come in contact with them at an early age.

But the government should also be aware of the country's performing artists, who are living on the fringe of society.

Although many performance troupes are looking forward to the government's subsidized program, Hsia said they should also continue to focus on creating new works.

Hsia also points out the possibility of larger performance troupes squeezing out the smaller ones once these subsidized programs take place.