Jaffna Music Festival 2011

Three days and nights of extravagant colour, exciting music and energetic dance, showcased by groups of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, national and international folk artists in the historic city of Jaffna, made the inaugural bi-annual Jaffna Music Festival a resounding success. No two performances were alike in musical tradition or composition, but all were equally entertaining.

The Festival, held on March 25th – 27th, unfolded in the setting of a folk-village camp where different artists, both local and international, led simultaneous daily performances.

Different folk artists fronted exhibition stalls discussing and showcasing the rich history and diversity of each of their art forms to further engage and educate Festival-goers.

As the sister event of the biannual Galle Music Festival, launched in 2009, the Jaffna Music Festival 2011 was funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and was implemented by Sewalanka Foundation, Rikskonsertene Concerts Norway and Aru Sri Art Theatre.
photos by: Angelo Samarawickrama.