Saskia Fernando Gallery in collaboration with Udayshanth Fernando Foundation is pleased to present A4A, a group exhibition by the grantees of the 2021 A4AProduction Fund. 

The Artists for Artists Production Fund (A4A) was an initiative launched by Saskia Fernando Gallery(SFG)in collaboration with Udayshanth Fernando Foundation(UFF) in October 2021. As Sri Lanka’s first publicly funded arts grant, aimed at fostering emerging artists in the region, A4A marked a milestone in Sri Lankan contemporary art. The final stage of the project is a group exhibition presenting works created over the subsequent year by the grantees of the fund, Aruni Dharmakirthi, Lojithan Ram and Randika de Silva. The exhibition will take place at SFG from 19 January–11 February 2023. The inaugural A4A Production Fund was primarily generated from the sale of limited-edition poster prints donated by artists working with Paradise Road Galleries, and the grantees were selected from submissions received through an open call and judging process.

The 2021 judging panel included Sonal Singh, Managing Director of Christie’s India, Dr. Sanjana Hattotuwa, Founder of Ground views and Prof. Jagath Weerasinghe, Artist and Archaeologist. The A4A Production Fund arrives at a critical time as Sri Lanka faces one of the worst economic crises in decades. By enabling young artists to continue researching and developing new bodies of work, this initiative addresses along the overdue gap in arts funding which has limited the scope for creative experiments in the region. Speaking of the need for interventions such as these, Udayshanth Fernando, Founder of UFF elaborates, "The Foundation was born with the objective of elevating the local arts industry. The UFF believes in introducing the richness of Sri Lankan art to a global audience as a route to ensure its preservation and future growth. Moreover, an over-emphasis on solely buying art to support art actually has an adverse effect on the artist’s career; instead, a focus on patronage that goes beyond simply collecting is essential to the industry’s survival."