Arts and Culture
The visual beauty of Sri Lanka and the mythological splendour of ancient beliefs are two factors that have inspired artists over the ages. In museums, the styles and concerns of the ancient artists can be seen and compared with those of the many contem porary artists whose works can be viewed in numerous Colombo galleries. Established modern favourites to look out for are Laki Senanayake, L. T.P. Majusri, George Keyt, George de Neise and David Paynter. 

Art Galleries	Address	Phone Number and Details
Art Gallery	101 Ananda Coomaraswami Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 693965  Open 8am-5pm daily except Poyas.
Mountcastle Gallerey	2 Arunachalam Avenue, off 36, Horton Place, Colombo, Srilanka	--
Kalagaraya Art Gallery	54 Ward Place, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 694162  At the Alliance Francais. Open 9am-1pm, 5-7pm Monday-Friday.
Llonal Wendt Memorial Art Centre	18, Guildford Crescent, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 695794
Manjasurl Home	215 2/E Block  Anderson Golf Links Flat, Park Road, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 582417  By appointment only
Sapumal Foundation	32/4 Barnes Place, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 695731  Sometimes erratic opening hours so best to Telephone first.
Serendlb Gallery	361/1 Rosemead Place, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 697467  Antique maps and prints of Ceylon.
Barefoot Galleries	704 Galle Road, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 589305  Contemporary art and photographs
Cinemas
English-language films are shown at the cultural centres listed below and the following cinemas:
Liberty	38 Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 25265
New Olympia	Jaya Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 693141
Savoy	12 Galle Road, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 588621
LIbraries
Public libraries are usually a waste of time, as the concept of libraries, research and book-lending has not evolved enough for Sri Lankans to understand that they are there as a public service. There are also no borrowing facilities for
American Centre	39 Sir Earnest de Silva Mawatha, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone :691461
British Council	49 Alfred House Gardens Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 581171/2
Colombo Public Library	Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Srilanka	Phone : 695156
University of Colombo Library	Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 586432
Cultural Centres
Alliance Francaise	11,Barnes Place Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 694162
The British Council	49, Alfred House Gardens, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 581171
German Cultural Centre	39, Gregoy's Road, Colombo, Srilanka	Phone : 69456

Music and Dance
Music and dance in Sri Lanka are still closely tied up with religious ritual. Kandyan or 'high country' dance has evolved from village dances performed to appeal to local deities, and is accompanied by the complex rhythms of several drummers who use a percussion instrument called the gatebere -a wooden drum with leather heads of monkey skin at one end and cowhide at the other, which make contrasting tones.
 
Dancers, usually women, go through a routine of sinuous poses and flowing arm movements. 'Low country' or 'devil-mask' dancing is also accompanied by drummers, who use a special 'demon drum' to enhance the steps and movements of dancers wearing the grotesque masks which represent the 18 demons of disease. These dances were -and sometimes still are - performed with the intention of persuading the demon to leave the afflicted person .