The new head of the Fine Arts Syndicate, Hamdy Abou El Maaty, has announced that the housing project for the fine arts youth in 6 October will be of utmost priority in the upcoming year.

“The architectural drawings are ready and we will announce the application conditions very soon," he said. "There are also other projects in hand like the fine arts village in El Arish and a project to develop the current headquarters of the syndicate located in the Cairo Opera House.”

“It is a priority to set a committee to change the syndicate’s laws,” he added.

Hamdy Abou El Maaty won Saturday's syndicate election against Taha El Karny. He currently teaches in the graphics department at the fine arts college of Helwan. In 2009 he was awarded the honourary prize by the Ministry of Culture.