The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is planning to develop training schemes, including bursaries, to help children from some of the most deprived parts of Britain to consider a career on the stage or behind the scenes.
Amid criticism that the arts have become dominated by a wealthy elite, Gregory Doran, artistic director of the RSC, says that the organisation will build upon its outreach programme to encourage disadvantaged youngsters.
Children from ethnic minorities will be among those targeted for training schemes.
"We can talent-spot those kids and give them an advantage which they wouldn't necessarily have," Doran says. "Jacqui O'Hanlan, our head of education, quite often says 'I saw this fantastic kid who really should go into the theatre'. But [they] would have no idea that that would be a route for them."
Julie Walters recently said she doubted she would make it as an actor if she were starting out today. She echoed comments from Britain's shadow culture minister, Chris Bryant, who complained that the arts were increasingly the domain of the privileged, such as actor Eddie Redmayne and singer James Blunt (which drew a furious response from Blunt).
The company is already working closely with schools across Britain, streaming plays to 60,000 children in almost 700 schools. But Doran says he is now developing training schemes, including bursaries and workshops, to inspire the most promising youngsters still further.