University of the Visual and Performing Arts

The origin of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts could be traced back to 1893, when the Ceylon Technical College commenced a course on Drawing and Design. In 1949, the Department of Drawing and Painting moved from the Technical College at Maradana to the ‘Heywood’ building at Horton Place, and was subsequently renamed as the ‘School of Art’. In July 1952, Music and Dance were integrated into the curriculum, and the institute became named as the ‘Government College of Fine Arts’. Veteran dancer Panibharatha was appointed as the course master for Dance. In October 1953, the Departments of Music and Dance were moved to Albert Crescent in Colombo 7. Then this institution was once again renamed as the ‘National Institute of Arts’ and it was taken under the purview of Ministry of Education, and the dance section was upgraded as the ‘Government College of Dance and Ballet’ and the veteran dancer Panibharatha was appointed as its principle.

The Faculty of Music shows an independent pedagogic academic scenario under the Departments of North Indian Music, South Indian Music, Western Music, Musicology, Ethnomusicology and Applied Music & Mass Communication. The intrinsic properties inhered in different course units are well connected with the intangible heritage of the motherland, religions and the world realm of music where we meet the conceptual values and expressive values dazzling among the humanism. Music crosses the barriers of cultural norms and boarder lines of cultural zones featuring the diversity of multi ethnicity with the artistic vision and the scientific thinking flood light from the spiritual and secular ideology of the people.

• To become a center of greatness in the field of music education, research and Creative.
• Strengthening human resources and developing personalities through creative and research thinking in music education.

The Faculty of Visual Arts established in 2005. It offers four-year Bachelor of Visual Art (BVA) Special Degree in nine programme streams in Visual Arts namely; Painting, Sculpture, Visual Communication Design, Printmaking, Multi-disciplinary Design, Ceramic Art, Textile and Wearable Arts, Multimedia Arts, and History and Art Theory. The Bachelor of Visual Art Special Degree of the Faculty is structured on semester based on credit system. This faculty can be considered as the only faculty dedicated for offering degree Programs in Visual Arts among Sri Lankan universities.