The Philippine Arts Festival 2012 Opens on Jan. 29

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the country’s prime agency for arts and culture, ushers in the National Arts Month (NAM) with a festive opening of the Philippine Arts Festival (PAF) on January 29, 2012.

The PAF is NCCA’s major event in celebration of (NAM). The opening will be at the Rizal Park, promising a fiesta atmosphere highlighted by a kite making workshop and kite flying, and sumptuous samplings of the seven arts.

This will serve as a launch pad for a month-long fete that emphasizes the artistry of the Filipino people. PAF comprises the flagship projects of the seven committees of the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts, comprising architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, theater and the visual arts.

Under its chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr. and OIC-executive director Adelina Suemith, the NCCA has taken the theme “Tradition and Innovation” for the festival, which aims to further Philippine art and the Filipino’s regard for local arts and culture. PAF will comprise workshops, exhibitions, forums, performances and many more, participated in by representatives of all the seven arts and taking place all over the country. Numerous artists are expected to take part in this grand gathering.

The annual celebration of National Arts Month started with the signing of Presidential Proclamation 683, in 1991, declaring February as National Arts Month. Over the years, NCCA as well as private and government agencies organize events and activities to highlight the artistic brilliance of the Filipinos. In recent years, the NCCA has been organizing a festival that showcases the artistic harvest of Filipino talents for NAM.

This year’s PAF will emphasize traditional art forms and genres as well as contemporary ones. There will also be tributes to National Hero Jose Rizal. Closing the PAF is the Ani ng Dangal awarding ceremony as well as recognition of contemporary artists for their contributions.

For the whole month of February, expect the seven committees to present their projects, in which the public is invited to come.

Read More »

First Asian Gong & Bamboo Music Festival to Highlight Philippine Arts Festival

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will hold the First Asian Festival of Gongs and Bamboo Music, as part of the Philippine Arts Festival (PAF) in celebration of the National Arts Month.

Led by Prof. Felipe de Leon Jr., NCCA chairman, the music festival will gather local and foreign gongs and bamboo ensembles for performances and workshops from February 20 to 24, 2012 in Cagayan de Oro and from February 25 to 28 in Baguio and Iloilo.

The Musicology Society of the Philippines is the principal proponent of the First Asian Festival of Gongs and Bamboo Music, which will also incorporate a conference that will explain the social and spiritual significance of the music created by the gongs and bamboo.

PAF 2012 will emphasize traditional art forms and genres as well as contemporary ones. The launching is set at the Rizal Park with a fiesta atmosphere highlighted by a kite making workshop and kite flying, as well as sumptuous samplings of the seven arts. Closing the PAF is the Ani ng Dangal awarding ceremony as well as the recognition of contemporary artists for their contributions.

PAF is held every February in celebration of the National Arts Month in pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 683 signed in 1991. The month-long festival is spearheaded by the NCCA, led by its chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. and OIC-executive director Adelina Suemith, with Marichu Tellano as head of the Planning, Policy Formulation, and Programming Division.

For next year’s celebration, the NCCA has taken the theme “Tradisyon at Inobasyon” (Tradition and Innovation) which aims to further advance local creativity in the arts. Eminent local and foreign artists will take part in this biggest and grandest month-long cultural gathering.

Read More »

NCCA Sets the Stage for Philippine Arts Festival 2012

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA)—the country’s prime agency for arts and culture—is gearing up for the 2012 Philippine Arts Festival (PAF), a month-long fete that will banner the flagship projects of the seven committees of the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts (SCA), embracing architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, dramatic arts and visual arts.

Under its chairman, Prof. Felipe de Leon, Jr., the NCCA has taken the theme “Tradisyon at Inobasyon”(Tradition and Innovation) for next year’s celebration, which aims to further advance local creativity in the arts. PAF will feature workshops, exhibitions, forums and performances by practitioners of the arts and will take place all over the country. Eminent local and foreign artists will take part in this biggest and grandest month-long cultural gathering.

The annual celebration of National Arts Month began with the signing of Presidential Proclamation 683 in 1991, declaring February as National Arts Month. Through the years, the NCCA in partnership with various private and government agencies have organized events and activities to highlight Filipino artistic excellence and creativity.

Popular television and film icons Boy Abunda and Dingdong Dantes have lent their stellar power for the 2011 festival as NCCA Art and Youth Ambassadors, respectively. For 2012, they will be joined by Piolo Pascual as NCCA Culture Ambassador to further popularize the festival.

Next year’s PAF will emphasize the interface of traditional and contemporary art forms and genres. A festive launching is set at the Rizal Park, to be highlighted by a kite making workshop, kite flying, and sumptuous samplings of the seven arts. Closing the PAF is the Ani ng Dangal awarding ceremony that will recognize the contribution of individuals and institutions to the promotion of Filipino cultural heritage.

During the entire month of February, the public is invited to come and witness the seven arts committees present their flagship projects.

Architecture

The Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts, headed by Architect Gerard Lico, will be holding several exhibitions, conferences, lectures and competitions to mark the celebration. The exhibitions will revolve around themes and topics on the morphology of Filipino buildings, Philippine styles, the works of IP Santos, and discourses on design. These events are under the “Achi[types/texts] 2012” project. Some of the exhibits include “Salumpuwit, Bangko, Silya, Atbp.: A History of Chairs in the Philippines”; “La Vida Verde: The Landscape Architecture of National Artist IP Santos”; and “Imeldific Modernity: A Dictatorship of Style.” There will also be a design competition on architectural innovation for architecture students, as well as conferences, and lectures.

Cinema

The National Committee on Cinema, headed by Dr. Miguel Rapatan, will be holding CinemaRehiyon 4 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. The festival features screenings and forums that focus on the artistic endeavors in filmmaking from the regions. Dubbed as the “biggest countryside/regional film festival,” Cinemarehiyon films gathers the best and emerging filmmakers from Luzon to Mindanao. It will happen from February 8 to 11, 2011.

Dance

The National Committee on Dance, headed by Shirley Halili Cruz, will be presenting Sayaw Pinoy, the longest-running Arts Month flagship project and is considered as one of the most attended, widely-successful, and much-anticipated event. Now on its ninth year, Sayaw Pinoy will continue to spread the beauty of dance in various areas all over the country. It will be participated by top dance groups from Manila vis-à-vis the emerging groups from the regions.

Literary Arts

The National Committee on Literary Arts, headed by Dr. Priscilla Macansantos, will mount the literary arts festival Taboan in Pampanga and Baguio. Taboan 2012: Philippine International Writers Festival will gather writers and readers for panel discussions, lectures, book fair, literary readings and performances, and many more. It will happen from February 9 to 11, 2012. Taboan events in the past were held in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao City.

Music

The National Committee on Music, headed by Prof. Felipe de Leon, Jr., will be staging the First Asian Festival of Gongs and Bamboo Music in Cagayan de Oro City, Iloilo City and Baguio City. It will gather local and foreign gongs and bamboo ensembles for performances and workshops. It will be from February 20 to 24, 2012, in Cagayan de Oro, and from February 25 to 28 in Baguio and Iloilo.

Dramatic Arts

The National Committee on Dramatic Arts, headed by Lutgardo Labad, will be holding the Tanghal 2012, focusing on community-based theater groups, in Calamba City, Cebu City, General Santos City and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It will bring the best and emerging university and community-based theater groups together for the celebration.

Visual Arts

The Committee on Visual Arts, headed by Nemesio Miranda, will be holding the Philippine International Visual Arts Festival (PIVAF) in the town of Angono, dubbed as an “Art Capital of the Philippines”. In 2012, it will have “Rizal” as theme, calling it the Philippine International Visual Arts Festival: The Rizal Experience (PVAF: TRE). Happening from February 17 to 20, 2012, PVAF: TRE will have a lineup of activities throughout the province of Rizal—conferences, exhibitions, competitions, workshops, painting sessions, scenic tours, trade expo, parades, performances and kite-flying.

NCCA’s 25th Anniversary

As the NCCA turns 25 years in 2012, expect the Philippine Arts Festival to be a grand celebration for all the artists and cultural workers in the country. Likewise, the NCCA gears for its other banner programs like theDance Xchange: Philippine International Dance Festival held every April; Taoid in celebration of National Heritage Month every May; and Dayaw every October in line with the celebration of Indigenous Peoples Month, among others. The NCCA Secretariat is headed by its OIC Executive Director Ms. Adelina Suemith, while the head of the Planning, Policy Formulation, and Programming Division (PPFPD) is Ms. Marichu Tellano.

For more details on the activities and schedules, contact PIAF Media Director and NCCA-Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) head, Rene Sanchez Napenas at (632) 527-2192 or 0928-5081057, or PAF Festival Manager, Vanessa Nicolas at 0918-6380412. Email us at ncca.paio@gmail.com.

Read More »