The Guru Gedara Festival opened for a four-day run on August 30 and ended with a special concert to commemorate 75 years of the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya last week.
The festival brought together experts in Sri Lankan traditional arts to one location and created awareness and understanding of age-old authentic art forms that has evolved into a vital aspect of cultural heritage in Sri Lanka. The festival was designed as a fully-immersive experience where small groups of audience members were given the opportunity to interact closely with these living legends and be educated and inspired by their lives, their work and their passion.
Over 30 experts and artistes gathered at the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya over the 4-day festival to share their expertise through discussion, master classes, workshops, demonstrations and performances. During other times they would stay in their impromptu “studios/ kutis,” creating their craft and sharing their expertise with small groups of audience members.
The ChitrasenaVajira Dance Foundation presented Guru Gedara with Cinnamon Life and the John Keells Foundation.