Arts events in Colombo

Colombo's arts calendar runs on a handful of houses and a much larger informal circuit. The Lionel Wendt and Nelum Pokuna carry theatre, dance and recitals, with English and Sinhala productions on separate but overlapping schedules; the galleries and independent spaces run openings, photography shows and artist talks that are almost always free to walk into. Theatre runs are short here — often a single weekend — so a well-reviewed production disappears within days of tickets opening. Exhibitions are the opposite: they sit for weeks, cost nothing, and are the easiest way into the scene if you are new to it.