A press release from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
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Philippine Arts Fest 2014
focuses on Arts for Healing
WITH the theme “Art on the
Edge,” the 2014 Philippine Arts Festival (PAF), in celebration of the National
Arts Month (NAM), will focus on art for healing activities, aside from
promoting the advancements achieved in different art forms, the innovations,
the modern evolution of art, and the artistic creations in the peripheries.
Initiated by the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), NAM is celebrated every February in
the country since the signing of Presidential Proclamation 683 in 1991. NCCA
Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. will lead the celebration.
Spearheaded by the NCCA’s
Subcommission on the Arts, PAF consists mainly of the flagship projects of the
seven committees of the subcommission—architecture, cinema, dance, literature,
music, theater, and the visual arts. It aims to highlight the artistic talent
and brilliance of the Filipino people. Initially centering around the National
Capital Region, PAF activities will be held all over the country in order to
reach as many people as possible.
With private and government
agencies as partners, PAF 2014 promises to be an exhilarating celebration of
the arts with workshops, exhibitions, forums, performances, and many other
events participated in by numerous artists.
For 2014, PAF has taken the
theme "Art on the Edge.”
The seven committees of the
NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts have prepared a rich repertoire of activities
and events.
The National Committee on
Architecture and Allied Arts, headed by architect Gerard Lico, will hold
several exhibitions, conferences, lectures and competitions on Philippine
architecture and allied arts, collectively called “Archi[types/texts] 2014,”
which will be held in different institutions across the country from Feb. 2
until March 7.
The National Committee on
Cinema, headed by Dr. Miguel Rapatan, will hold “Cinema Rehiyon 6” in Cagayan
de Oro City on Feb. 18-22 with screenings and forums that focus on the film
productions from the regions. Independent filmmakers from Baguio, Pampanga,
Calabarzon, Naga, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Zamboanga and others
will showcase their latest films. Film curators, festival programmers, and film
enthusiasts will also be in attendance.
The National Committee on Dance,
headed by Shirley Halili-Cruz, will present “Sayaw Pinoy,” the longest-running
NAM project with a full house audience in every performance. It will tour dance
concerts showcasing the different dance forms (folk, ballet, hiphop, and
contemporary) by various dance companies, performing back to back with upcoming
dance groups. Now on its 11th year, Sayaw Pinoy will spread the beauty of dance
in key areas all over the country. Sayaw Pinoy will underline the dance icons
in the major venues of the event in the different cities in Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao. Dance workshops and artists dialogues will be participated in by
visiting and local dancers, choreographers, directors, and SPA teachers from
the different regions.
The National Committee on
Literary Arts, headed by Priscilla Macansantos, will mount the literary arts
festival, “Taboan 2014: Philippine Literary Arts Festival,” to be held at the
Subic Freeport Zone on Feb. 24-26.
Taboan 2014 will gather writers, teachers and students for forums,
lectures, book fair, literary readings, performances, arts and crafts exhibits,
cultural tours, other satellite projects, and an awards ceremony for
outstanding writers from the regions.
The National Committee on
Music, headed by Prof. Felipe de Leon Jr., will stage the “Taal-Tunugan,”
wherein a new musical ensemble will be trained and then toured using musical
instruments they made themselves from scraps and other recycled materials. The Taal-Tunugan is aimed at resonating the
sounds and or music found in different communities in the Philippines that
utilize locally-crafted musical instruments.
The National Committee on
Dramatic Arts, headed by Lutgardo Labad, will hold “Tanghal 2014,” a theater
festival underscoring the works and achievements of community and university-based
theater groups.
The National Committee on
Visual Arts, headed by Nemesio Miranda, will hold the “Philippine Visual Arts
Xtreme” (PVAX) in Tacloban, which will gather visual artists from all over the
country for a lineup of activities including conferences, exhibitions,
competitions, workshops, painting sessions, tours, and many others.
Aside from these, there are
other components of PAF. The opening ceremony, to be held in Roxas City, Capiz,
on January 31, 2014, is not to be missed because it is a rousing start of the
colorful celebration filled with performances and other activities that will
afford attendees a foretaste of the seven arts and their sumptuous offerings.
Also of importance is the
second Likha Asya festival and conference on community theater, creative
industries and community-based tourism, a cross-cultural exchange of
experiences and expertise in the creative industries and cultural tourism
between Lihok Bisaya, a cultural association of seven community-based cultural
groups in the Visayas region, and similar groups in Asia striving for
sustainable livelihoods.
The Ani ng Dangal awarding
ceremony honors Filipino artists who are recognized with top honors in
international awards, competitions and festivals. It will be held on Feb. 2 at
the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila.
It may be the shortest month
of the year, but expect February to be brimming with wonderful events with the
Philippine Arts Festival.
For more details on the
activities and schedules, contact PAF Media Director and NCCA-Public Affairs
and Information Office (PAIO) head, Rene Sanchez Napeñas at (632) 527-2192 or
at 0928.5081057. Log on to
www.ncca.gov.ph or email us at ncca.paio@gmail.com.
