Kala Pola Online Christmas Edition ends on high note

• Draws over 64,000 visitors
• 273 artists showcase 5,034 pieces of art work
• Over Rs. 12 million revenue generated with sales of 422 art work

Kala Pola went online for the second time in 2021, ahead of Christmas as a month-long event held from 28th November to 28th December. 

Captioned `Kala Pola Online Christmas Edition’, the event was hosted by John Keells Foundation within its digital gallery (www.srilankanartgallery.com) which provides exposure and sustainable market linkages for artists all throughout the year. 

Kala Pola, conceptualized and launched as an open art fair by The George Keyt Foundation, has enjoyed a 27-year partnership with John Keells Holdings PLC as the event sponsor and manager. 

Kala Pola is a flagship project under John Keells Foundation’s focus area of Arts & Culture, as a sustained CSR initiative aimed at empowering the livelihoods of Sri Lankan artists while promoting appreciation and support of the arts among wider audiences within and outside Sri Lanka. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kala Pola first went online in February/March of 2021 ahead of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festival. Following its success, in November/December the Christmas edition was launched. 
The December event attracted enthusiastic participation with 273 artists showcasing 5,034 works of art, drawing 64,700 unique visitors, and reporting the sale of 422 artworks which generatedRs. 12.6 million in estimated sales revenue.

The virtual event included two side events, namely the `Spotlight on Artist’ series hosted by Arun Dias Bandaranaike featuring Sri Lankan artists Pala Pothupitiye, Anoli Perera and Sanjeewee Senevirathna whose art has reached global audiences, and a Children’s Christmas Workshop conducted by the Shyamala School of Art. 
“We are delighted at the tremendous response received from both artists and visitors to Kala Pola Christmas Edition at a time when Sri Lankan artists continue to be challenged by the pandemic”, said John Keells’ Head of CSR, Carmeline Jayasuriya. 

“The John Keells Group together with our partner organizations remain committed to support and promote Sri Lankan art and artists through our various initiatives within the Group’s wider roadmap for Arts and Culture,” stressed Jayasuriya.