Painting allows children to express their creativity and at the same time have fun. Developing a skill like painting provides the stimulus children need to be successful in all aspects of life. Overall, the painting will nurture their small souls.
State Children’s Arts Festival and Exhibition 2017 held on October 1 saw 115 budding artists being awarded certificates, cash prizes and medals. The event which was concurrently held with Universal Children’s Day was organised jointly by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the State Advisory Board for Visual Arts under the instructions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs.
Art competitions for the festival were held under the categories of Primary (5-6 years), Post Primary (7-9 years), Junior (10-12 years), Senior (13-15 years) and Senior Secondary (16-18 years).
Winners were selected out of more than 100,000 drawings received from around the island including Northern and Eastern provinces. Drawings selected for the final round were on exhibition at the occasion. Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Minister, S. B. Nawinne and Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Deputy Minister, Palitha Thewarapperuma participated at the event.
“Drawing is a powerful medium of art. It is a medium of communication that developed at the very beginning when men lived in caves. A drawing by a child no doubt depicts his or her innocence and genuineness. State Children’s Art Festival is an effort to evaluate the paintings of our children and give them the due accolade on State level,” Cultural Affairs, Director, Anusha Gokula Fernando said.
State Advisory Board for Visual Arts Chairman, Senior Lecturer, Sarath Gunasiri Perera said child’s inborn inquisitiveness makes him respond to the aesthetic beauty using auditory and visual senses. “This is a spontaneous action which is later manifested in their various activities including drawing. Children’s drawings originate from their own lives.
They need to be guided and supported in the best way to think creatively. Educationists in other countries encourage children to be involved in art activities to stimulate positive feelings and motivate them to be professionals in future. State Children’s Art Festival is held every year with this objective in view,” he added.
Pictures by Kelum Liyanage.
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