Pic by D. Banduwardena

The sidewalks of Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha in Colombo 07, opposite the National Art Gallery, come alive on Sunday 21 February 2010 as Sri Lanka’s popular open-air art gallery cum art fair ‘Kala Pola’ explodes into a riot of colour.

 

 

Presented by the George Keyt Foundation, “Kala Pola” has continued to enjoy the patronage of the John Keells Group for 16 consecutive years.

Launched way back in 1993, Kala Pola drew inspiration from the open air summer art fairs in European capitals such as the legendary Montmartre in Paris. The deep rooted rationale for its existence goes beyond the mere search for fascinating colour, exuberance and camaraderie.

 

 

Kala Pola is also a key platform for artists and sculptors to launch and boost their careers. Not only does it help them build a steady clientele, but also promotes art as a lucrative and professional career. Many Kala Pola artists have been successful and have gone onto launch careers in the international arena.

 

 

This year’s Kala Pola will feature over 250 artists and sculptors who will showcase their creativity to a rapidly growing Sri Lankan and expatriate clientele, in an atmosphere filled with music, song, fun and contagious bonhomie.

 

 

President of the George Keyt Foundation, Cedric de Silva said, “We’re proud to note that Kala Pola which had a very humble beginning more than one and a half decades ago, has now grown into a major national event. Each year it attracts hundreds of artists and sculptors from all parts of the country and affords them the rare opportunity of displaying their work to a large number of buyers. This is, undoubtedly a boon to these highly talented, yet very simple men and women, some of whom may not be able to exhibit in Colombo’s established art galleries.”

 

 

Lallith Ramanayake, Head of CSR, John Keells Holdings said, “The John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation is dedicated to supporting the arts and culture of this country.

It is indeed an honour to extend our patronage for the 16th successive year to Kala Pola which is easily one of the much-talked-about and best-visited events in Sri Lanka’s cultural calendar. This event is all about creating opportunities for budding artists, island wide, to help them display their work and launch their careers. We are also very happy to note that Kala Pola is a viable source of income for these artists, strengthening them financially and thereby encouraging them to pursue their careers in art. Their latent talent, commitment to their artistry, and the will to succeed are certainly an inspiration for us all. Nurturing the arts is essential to preserving the soul of society: it is our responsibility to keep the arts alive.”

 

 

John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation is the CSR arm of the John Keells Group, dedicated to making a positive difference in and enriching the communities in which the Group operates. The Foundation has continued to espouse and implement sustainable initiatives under various focus areas of corporate responsibility.

 

 

Kala Pola 2010 kicks off at 10.00 am on Sunday 21 February 2010 and will unfold itself through the changing light of the day, bringing a varied palette of colour, sights and sounds to the soul of Colombo, until dusk finally settles over the city skyline.