Art Teacher Training is part of the larger commitment of Theertha to qualitatively enhance the visual art education at school level and to make available trained art teachers to economically difficult regions and areas in Sri Lanka.  This is also an attempt at democratizing the access of qualitative visual art knowledge to many art students where they would be able to make an informed knowledge on selecting visual art as a subject to pursue their higher education. 

The primary goal of the teacher training program is to assist the process of disseminating information and knowledge on art to regional areas on the one hand and to enhance and stimulate the visual art education at school level while creating a community of informed art teacher to undertake the art education at school level on the other.  With the initial teacher training workshops, Theertha/ ArtLab has managed to impart current knowledge to the teachers where the teachers are given lectures on art history and art practical training.  Other than getting new knowledge through these programs, it has also helped art teachers to form their own art groups in several areas where they have become interested in publishing art information and do art events within their geographical areas. 

Theertha first initiated the art training workshops for teachers in  2004. Since then Theertha has continuously held art workshops for teachers in Dehiattakandiya, Kegalle, Aludeniya, Kamburupitiya, Kandy, Ampara, Sammanthurai, Akkaraipattu, Matara, Colombo and Ratnapura .  

The art workshops for teachers are managed by ArtLab ( an artists’ led partner organization) behalf of Theertha. The art teacher training is further supported by the Theertha Publication Program (Link)  where number of books on Sri Lankan art and world art are published in Sinhala and Tamil so that these books can be used as handbooks by the art teachers and students.
Art Teacher Program is supported by grants provided by HIVOS , Ford Foundation and USAID.

Art Teacher Training Workshops held:

2003
•    Art Teacher Training in Batticaloa.

2004
•     Art Teacher Training in Dehiattakandiya
             
2005

•    Teacher Training Program in Kegalle 
•    Teacher Training Program in Ampara , Kalmunai, Sammanthurai and Akkaraipattu 

2006
•    Teacher Training Program in Aludeniya.
•    Art Writing Workshop for Art Teachers.

2007
•    Computer Design /Art Writing Workshop for Art Teachers. 

2008
•    Art Teacher Training - 3 day workshop at Akurassa - Dampella Maha Viharaya and Welihena Kanishta Maha vidyalaya.

      Megha Art Training workshop at Lumbini.Teacher training for art education for very young children - Aludeniya.