Kalabhooshana Awards Festival on December 15

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Kalabhooshana Awards Festival organised annually by the Department of Cultural Affairs will be held on December 15 at 2.30 pm at the John De Silva Memorial Theatre, under the patronage of Cultural Affairs Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, a Cultural Affairs Ministry spokesman said.

He said that this festival is organised by the Department in order to honour prominent artistes over the age of 60 who had made a significant contribution in varied fields of art.

This year the event takes place on National Artistes Day (December 15) and 125 Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim artists will receive Kalabhooshana awards.

These artists represent all districts in Sri Lanka. Seventy Sinhala artistes, 40 Tamil artists and 15 Muslim artistes are among them.

They represent dancing, music, painting, sculpture, literature and drama.

Each artist will receive Rs. 10,000, a certificate and an award. An independent panel comprising members from the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of Hindu Affairs and the Department of Muslim Affairs picked the Kalabhooshana Award recipients.