5th Ortigas Arts Festival paints broader stroke of Philippine art with film, dance, and visual arts

Ortigas Art Festival returns for its 5th year with a month-long celebration of Filipino art in forms.

“This year’s festival paints a broader stroke of Philippine art where we encompass more art forms from visual art, film, dance, and even pottery,” said Renato “Mang Ato” R. Habulan, head curator of Ortigas Art Festival. “We want to show the diversity of talents across many disciplines Filipino artists have and we are honored to present all of those–and more–through this year’s exhibit and festivities.”

Launched in 2018, the Ortigas Art Festival was created with the goal of making art accessible to everyone. From featuring over 60 local artists during its first run, the number of artists who participated in the festival reached more than 200 and even included artists from Southeast Asia, America, and Europe in 2020.

Running from July 7, 2022 (Thursday) until August 7, 2022 (Sunday), the festival will showcase a wider variety of Filipino arts and culture across five pillars: Painting & Sculpture, Film and Photography, Dance and Fashion, ArtisTree, and Workshops.

“We believe that art has the power to connect people and uplift their spirits especially at trying times. We’ve proven that when we ran the festival during the two years under a pandemic. Now that we’re slowly recovering and embracing the new normal, we believe that there is no better time to show that Philippine art is alive and well and is for everyone to enjoy,” said Arch. Renee Bacani, Vice President of Ortigas Malls. “Through the Ortigas Art Festival, we reiterate our mission in bringing art to a wider audience and supporting the local art scene and community by including art in all its forms in this year’s celebrations.”

Painting and Sculpture will feature works from local galleries–Agos Studios, Bastedor Art Project, Vmeme Contemporary Art Gallery, Linangan Art Residency, Red Lab Gallery, Thombayan Art Space, and Makiling Art Studio; and celebrated visual artists Rita Bustamante and Rico Lascano.

Film and Photography will be led by The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Born in Film who will be hosting retrospectives and late-night screenings of restored Philippine films, and from National Artists for film during the festival.  FDCP will also be holding its 2nd Vertical Cinema Contest during the festival.

Performing Arts and Fashion will see Ballet Works Manila hold special performances during the Vernissage on July 7 and on July 31 while the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines will be presenting some of its best designs and creations throughout the month-long event.

ArtisTree will have the Learning Tree Child Growth Center that will showcase some of the masterpieces of its alumni, teachers, and students from Preschool, Grade School, and High School. They will also be holding several workshops such as painting, 3D art, paper cutting, paper sculptures, pottery, and oil pastel drawing for children and adults alike.

FDCP and Born in Film will conduct workshops such as Cinematography, Storytelling, and Film Editing while Born in Film will be conducting Creative Visual Storyline and Mobile Photography workshops, perfect for Film buffs and photography enthusiasts. They will also feature 2,000 inspiring photos from around the world. Meanwhile, those interested in getting their hands into pottery can also join the pottery sessions led by Big Mac for both adults and children as part of its Workshops, which will be exclusive to Ortigas Community Card members.

Ramon Santos, pride of Pasig City for being a National Artist for Music, will be holding a special exhibit on the second floor, showcasing a wide variety of art forms and artistry to foster appreciation for Filipino art and artists.

Mr. Santos is a composer, conductor, musicologist, and is currently the country’s foremost exponent of contemporary Filipino music.

“What we want in this year’s iteration is to introduce Filipinos to the works of some of the country’s best while stoking their interest and appreciation for Philippine art,” said Helen Mirasol, art patron and one of the co-founders of Ortigas Art Festival. “This is a month-long celebration of our art and artists where everyone is invited–no matter if you’re an art connoisseur or a regular person who wants to find the art form that will speak to their soul. Everyone is welcome at Ortigas Art Festival.”

The Ortigas Art Festival runs from July 7 to August 7 at the Estancia East Wing, Capitol Commons, Pasig City. Admission is free. To get the full festival schedule, follow Ortigas Art Festival on Facebook and visit ortigasmalls.com for the latest info on upcoming events and activities. Sign up for the Ortigas Malls Community Card by downloading the Ortigas Malls Mobile App and unlock your access to the amazing perks, privileges, and workshops during the festival.