Gehan Cooray on how and why Sri Lanka’s Performing and Visual Arts need to be developed

Gehan A Cooray, the highly acclaimed Sri Lankan-American Baritone vocalist, actor and director across the fields of Opera, Musicals, Theatre and Film, believes that a thriving performing arts ecosphere in the country can provide a significant boost to the tourism industry and the national economy. This has become a particularly salient matter to him ever since he was appointed Vice Chairman of Jetwing Travels this year. However, he pointed out that several key factors are holding back the local performing arts from transitioning to a global level and meeting the international standards that are required to establish a well-oiled and sustainable entertainment industry.

Long before taking on his corporate governance role at Jetwing, Gehan was known both locally and internationally as a stage and film actor, an operatic singer, as well as the writer-producer-star of the award-winning, Oscar and Golden Globe eligible feature film THE BILLIONAIRE. Gehan has lived in the United States for nearly two decades, where he spent most of his adult life in Los Angeles, before moving to New York. He completed his Bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and Psychology at the University of Southern California (USC), while also doing a minor in Cinema-Television, graduating Magna Cum Laude with Renaissance Scholar and Discovery Scholar Honours, on top of being invited to join several honours societies.

Gehan noted that a multifaceted performing arts sphere can play a significant role in boosting tourism revenue for Sri Lanka as it helps to provide tourists with diverse experiences and can even attract them during off-peak seasons. While Music, Drama and Cinema are among his areas of expertise, he mentions that even other forms of Art and Cultural exhibits for instance have the potential to drive greater spending among tourists on dining, shopping, local transport, and other hospitality services, just like in the U.S, the U.K, Singapore and other destinations.

“Sri Lankan Tourism is on the way up, and many aspects such as our Natural Splendour, Historical Depth and Cultural Richness are consistently recognized on the global stage as being among the best. If we can develop the Performing Arts and also our Visual Arts through careful, systematic planning, greater professionalism and an unwavering commitment to excellence, we can make the country a powerhouse regionally and attract more tourists who want to come here all year round to enjoy our theatrical, artistic and cultural events,” he added.

Analysing Sri Lanka's entertainment sphere at present, Gehan made several key points, "To achieve all this, for starters, Sri Lankan artists need proper, professional, and meticulous training. And by professional, I mean the right credentials and qualifications in addition to experience. You cannot create an entertainment industry with amateurs and those who act and sing ‘just for fun’ as a hobby. That is not how it works in other countries. There’s a reason we call it Show Business in America, because it has to be approached with the same seriousness and diligence as any business!”

He emphasized that Sri Lankans' biggest downfall is their unbridled envy whenever others possess and demonstrate talents that make those individuals stand out. “The tendency even within the so-called 'arts' scene' here is to drag other artistes down, rather than building them up, because many alleged musicians, directors, actors, performers and dancers are so insecure and jealous that they cannot stand the thought that someone else might become more famous or popular than they are,” he claimed. “If they only knew what true fame actually entailed, which amateurs have no clue about beyond what they might see online.”

Gehan also pointed out the need to change the attitude towards the performing and visual arts, even among local artists themselves, adding, “The dramatic, musical, cinematic and other arts should not be treated as a means of merely impressing one’s friends, relatives and coworkers; or as a way to try and stand out among one's social peers. That is an extremely childish and senseless way of going about it! There has to be a totally uncompromising commitment to excellence and professionalism within whichever artistic discipline one occupies – because Music, Drama, Cinema etc are all disciplines and crafts that take years and even decades to master - and everyone has to come together to make a thriving industry out of the performing arts."

By tapping into the wealth of knowledge and the international exposure of artists who have performed at the highest levels overseas, such as himself and a few others, Gehan Cooray’s belief that Sri Lanka will be able to transform its artistic frameworks and become a force to be reckoned with in the global entertainment landscape is something to be espoused and championed by all who share his love of our motherland.