KALĀ + | Youth Program

April 4, 2024

In keeping with the platform’s intention to build collaborations with practitioners, representatives and institutions across the island and the South Asian region, The series KALĀ+ featured talks, workshops and screenings both at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre and with leading representatives, institutions and individuals from the Sri Lankan art ecosystem. These events were curated with focus on building the visibility of developments of the arts locally while also focused on accessibility for youth, students, enthusiasts and patrons. Our objective annually is to develop and grow via these collaborations extensively.

KALA+ hosted a series of youth programmes that offered university students, school students and young children the opportunity to engage with the visual arts and gain a deeper understanding of Sri Lankan modern and contemporary art.

The Lionel Wendt Art Centre played host to the KALĀ+ Young Artist Portfolio Review with Jagath Ravindra, Mariyam Begum, Saskia Fernando and Hema Shironi. Artists and students had the invaluable oppurtunity to gain insights from Jagath Ravindra, Dean of the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Mariyam Begum, Assistant Curator of KALĀ, Saskia Fernando, KALĀ Founding Director and Emerging Artist Hema Shironi.

KALĀ Assistant Curator, Mariyam Begum gave several walkthroughs to students of Pivot Glide Echo throughout the month of February including to groups of students from the Fine Arts Department of the University of Jaffna, Academy of Design and the Overseas School.

KALĀ Programming Assistant, Sulakshi Ratnayake hosted several kids and teen walkthrough of Pivot Glide Echo at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre. The curated walkthroughs provided an opportunity for a younger audience to engage with the curatorial premise of the exhibition in a fun and accessible manner.