Philippine Arts Festival 2007: A Rich Harvest

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) leads the nation in a month-long gathering of Filipino artistry dubbed "Ani ng Sining: Yaman ng Lahi, Philippine Arts Festival 2007." Celebrating National Arts Month, the Philippine Arts Festival (PAF) brings together the choicest pickings of songs, plays, exhibits, poems, fairs, dances, stories, movies, and digital art to promote national pride and patrimony.

The Festival was launched at the NCCA Bldg. in Intramuros last Thursday, and will be launched today in Malolos, Bulacan (Luzon), Cebu City (Visayas) and Cagayan De Oro (Mindanao), and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (NCR).

As in previous years, PAF 2007 will assemble the efforts of the seven NCCA national art committees, which represent the seven categories of art in the classical tradition: Literary Arts, Visual Arts, Architecture and Allied Arts, Cinema, Dance, Music, and Theater.

PAF 2007, says Festival Director Brenda Fajardo, "is an affirmation of the Filipino spirit as expressed in the arts." All the activities of the National Arts Month exemplify the rich and diverse produce of Philippine art, the harvest season of the best of the Filipino imagination.

The Committee on Literary Arts will stage "Pagpupugay sa mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining sa Literatura," a national tour of the country’s most precious literary gems: Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, Feb. 5 in Lipa, Batangas; Dr. Edith Tiempo, Feb. 10 in Cebu City; Dr. Alejandro Roces, Feb. 17 in Iligan City; F. Sionil Jose, Feb. 24 in Pangasinan; and Dean Virgilio Almario, Feb. 24 in Angeles City.

"Contesting Traditions–WEB Sining: Digital Art Competition 2007" of the Committee on Visual Arts is a search for outstanding works in Still, Animated and Software Art. It also features the KURO Satellite forums, small groups to be formed in various regions that will discuss contemporary issues in art practices, including intellectual property rights, technology and art, among others. Winners of the competition will be announced on February 25 at the NCCA.

An exhibition at the Museum of the Filipino People, National Museum, "Building Modernity: A Century of Architecture and Allied Designs in the Philippines" (see accompanying story) is the project of the Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts and highlights archival photographs, paintings, vintage graphics, blueprints, building components and ornaments of Philippine architecture in the last century.

"Pelikusina: Cinema Paraiso 4," a confluence of film, photography and video exhibitions is the piece of the Committee on Cinema. It is divided into the following components: Cine Pares, Foto Binalot, Sining Bidyo-ke and Sining Sine. Outstanding films in the last four decades will be screened at the Robinson’s Galleria and the NCCA for free.

The Committee on Dance continues "Sayaw Pinoy," a touring national dance concert of folk, modern, ballet and contemporary dance forms. School-based, professional and regional dance groups will forge collaborative productions and other interface activities in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Pasig, Zamboanga, Baguio and Quezon.

"Mga Awiting Bayan Para sa Korong Pilipino: A Choral Writing Competition" is the undertaking of the Committee on Music. It is a search for new and unpublished choral settings of Philippine folk songs or original compositions for mixed (male & female) adult choir from various parts of the Philippines in the local languages. Fifteen outstanding choral settings of songs from different parts of the country will be selected for publication in an anthology, in addition to a cash prize of P20, 000 each.

University-based theater groups will showcase their productions in "TANGHAL! The First National Universities Theatre Festival" of the Committee on Dramatic Arts. The event will be hosted by teatrokon-Western Visayas Theatre Network, to be held at the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City. The play festival will include an interactive forum and exhibit.

The Festival has also organized other activities throughout the archipelago. "Pistahan sa NCR" mounts different art events in Caloocan, Marikina, Valenzuela, Pasig, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas. "Ugnayan sa Intramuros" is a fest of performances from six schools and colleges within Intramuros; and "Ani ng Sining at NCCA," a partnership with the IA and other cultural agencies, features exhibitions, film showings, dance and music performances. Performances and exhibits will also be staged in different government offices such as Malacañang, the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Supreme Court.

A search for outstanding art venues of local government units has also been launched. The Sentro ng Sining Award will award five venues with a cash prize of P100, 000 each to be used for structural repairs, design improvements, and the like. The award aims to encourage local artists and the public to engage in creative activities. The winners will be awarded on February 3 at the NCCA.

PAF 2007 has also given individual grants to 28 provinces to initiate activities in their own locales: Batanes, Baguio, Lingayen, Tuguegarao City, Tarlac, Balanga City, Rodriguez, Laguna, Romblon, Calapan City, Masbate and Pili, Camarines Sur for Luzon; Negros Occidental, Capiz City, Calbayog (Samar), Tagbilaran City, Siquijor and Maasin for Visayas; and Koronadal City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Musuan, Camiguin, Davao Oriental, Tagum, Saranggani, Jolo, Agusan Del Sur and Marawi City for Mindanao.

On February 25, PAF 2007 will close with "Family Art Day" at the Raha Sulayman Theater, Fort Santiago, with performances, art sales, thanksgiving rituals, among others.

Meanwhile, official PAF 2007 Spokespersons Faith Cuneta and Noel Cabangon will perform in select cities all over the country to promote the various activities.

All events are free to the public. For details, contact the PAF 2007 Secretariat at tel 527-2192 local 512 or visit www.ncca.gov.ph.