Project
Centre for Performing Arts (CPArts) is an arts and theatre organisation practicing a variety of theatre and arts. The group was founded in 1965 by Father Saveri in Jaffna with the aim of bringing children and young people together for social development through theatre. Since the war began in the 1980's CPArts have been using theatre to develop different communities' interaction and relationship building. Since that time CPArts have developed 20 centres in several the Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western and Central districts of Sri Lanka.
CPArts conduct a variety of theatre activities and events including peace camps where they bring together children and young people from various centres to participate in theatre and arts workshops. They also conduct weekly drama clubs for children to practice traditional and contemporary drama and theatre. CPArts celebrate all Sri Lanka's religious and cultural festivals to increase understanding between and encourage participation of the different communities in Sri Lanka. Its membership consists primarily of volunteer youth members who facilitate and organise many of the children's drama units and peace camps. CPArts' events work both to create safe spaces through drama and theatre workshops for children and young people from different communities, as well as creating public events to explore issues of the war and develop community understanding. For instance, after the 2002 ceasefire, CPArts conducted a 3 day festival including a children's parliament in Jaffna where 1000 CPArts members from 20 centres had a public meeting with representatives of the Sri Lankan government army, LTTE, and an INGO to ask questions concerning the conflict situation in Sri Lanka.
Centre for Performing Arts continue to conduct a range of theatre events including their drama units and peace camps. However, sometimes they have to postpone certain activities depending upon what is happening politically in Sri Lanka - eg. Workshops or drama units postponed due to proximate moments of turbulence. They are also continually working to create more innovative and rewarding events that the different CPArts members can do together.
