Nat’l Library calls for story entries
AS PART of the celebration of the 31st Library and Information Services Month, the National Library of the Philippines (NLP) is accepting entries for the publication Impact Stories of Libraries in the Philippines Book III until Sept. 30. The objective for this third volume is to capture activities and services of libraries in the Philippines, be it a school, academic, special, or public library that adhere to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) established in the United Nation 2030 Agenda. Interested applicants may submit personal accounts or a write up about an activity their library has implemented in relation to the SDGs. Submit the story to http://bit.ly/ImpactStoriesIII. For reference, view Impact Stories vol. 2 at http://bit.ly/ImpactStoriesVolume2. For inquiries and clarifications, contact Chad Aren E. Diaz through e-mail at caediaz@nlp.gov.ph or visit www.nlp.gov.ph.
CCP presents Buwan ng Wika shows
IN CELEBRATION of Buwan ng Wika, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents AWIT AT TULA: Pagbabalik-Tanaw sa Unang Hari ng Balagtasan at the Facebook page of the CCP Office of the President (www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=163695115876901&ref=watch_permalink). Then relive the music of the 1970s in the concert MANILA SOUNDS, Saliw sa Himig ng Maynila, featuring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra on Aug. 28, 6 p.m. More Buwan ng Wika programs can be found at the CCP’s Vimeo channel, https://vimeo.com/showcase/8759371.
NCCA holds Filipino culture webinar
REGISTRATION for the second leg of the webinar “Mga Durungawan sa Kulturang Filipino” (Windows to Filipino Culture) by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in cooperation with Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is now open. With the theme, “Culture-based Education: Enriching Instruction, Enabling Integration, and Enhancing Contextualization,” the webinar series will be held online from September to November. The three-session webinar will cover a range of topics that would enhance competency in creating a culture-based instructional plan under the new normal scheme. The event also aims to provide a platform for interested in-service and pre-service teachers, educators, and other interested participants nationwide to share further cultural practices, ideas, and resources about responses to school closures and other challenges stemming from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To register, visit https://bit.ly/durungawan2021 For inquiries, contact Mark Baoanan, Project Coordinator, through durungawanwebinar@gmail.com. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/MgaDurungawanSaKulturangFilipino/.
New online platform for selling art
THERE is a new digital platform for the sale of collectibles and art, VNT Vention, created by cryptocurrency trader Julius Santillan. The website allows anyone to create, buy, sell, or collect digital merchandize — Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), which are used to represent items like photos, videos, audio, and other types of digital files — with minimal platform fees. It claims to connect artists to art collectors, while ensuring “a solid and supportive atmosphere.” “This online marketplace’s objective is to urge Pinoy artists to use the blockchain technology in selling masterpieces to fans and collectors alike. By tokenizing works and selling them on a digital marketplace, they can maximize their reach for potential customers,” it said in a statement. For more information, visit the VNT Vention site at https://vention.app/.
Tagum honors creative writers
“IN RECOGNITION of the literary arts’ unique contribution in achieving the full potential of this city’s creative economy by 2025,” creative writers convened in the first-ever Tagum Creative Writers Summit on Aug. 20 at the Tagumpay Theater of the Tagum City Historical and Cultural Center (TCHCC). The summit featured Mindanao writers including Tagum’s Reymond Pepito, who talked about “Celebrating Tagum and the Need to Write About It,” Palanca Award winner and playwright Karlo Antonio Galay David, who talked about the “Mindanao Narrative through Plays,” and poet Nassefh Macla who gave a talk, “Poetry and Beyond: A Memory Project.” The summit kicked off the months-long activity of the Center which will culminate with fringeTGM in November, a community arts and festival featuring various artistic groups of the city. TCHCC management also unveiled the activities lined up for the culmination of the activity in November. These include the Sayaw Tagum Dance Conference, the staging of the play Killing the Issue, an art and design conference, and a performance art and literary concert.
Library holds book, photo exhibit on PHL script
THE FILIPINAS Heritage Library, which turned 25 this month, has launched a book and photo exhibit called “Philippine Script” which looks into the evolution of the national language, and writing systems and their survival as well as the revival of old native scripts. “Philippine Script” is on view online until Aug. 27 at instagram.com/filipinasheritagelibrary.
Videos support Silverlens exhibits
SILVERLENS gallery has a number of videos featuring artists talking about their process and exhibits, and a writer discussing her encounter with an artist. Artist Gary-Ross Pastrana discusses his works in the exhibit “Things that came to light.” Marga Ortigas talks about the “otherworldly” experience of interviewing artist Chati Coronel whose has her exhibit, “Celestial Data for Daydreaming.” There is also a video of Ms. Coronel herself, answering questions about her process, her love for cosmology, and how a painting could incite hope. The exhibition videos can be viewed until Aug. 28 at www.silverlensgalleries.com.
Online art therapy offered
THE J. AMADO Araneta Foundation (JAAF), the social development arm of the Araneta Group, is conducting a series of online art therapy sessions to select youth participants and medical frontliners in response to ill effects of the pandemic. Titled “I am Visible”: Mental Wellness Through Art Therapy, the project — which was organized via a grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts — started with its first online session via Zoom on Aug. 7. More online art therapy sessions will be held on Sept. 11 and 18. “I am Visible” aims to acknowledge the mental health crisis happening in the country today which is being exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic. JAAF has partnered with the Makati Medical Center Foundation for “I am Visible,” with the latter providing facilitators and identified doctor-participants. Joining the Program as art coaches are veteran artists Rene Canlas and Julius Legaspi, who will introduce the medium of drawing and painting: pencil, pastel, watercolor, and acrylic paints. The program will end with an online exhibit to be launched on Oct. 10, which is designated as World Mental Health Day. It will be curated by art teacher Jonah Mari Valenzuela. The virtual exhibit will be hosted on the website of Araneta City’s art museum, the Gateway Gallery. It will open with a Curator’s Talk to be livestreamed on the JAAF and Gateway Gallery Facebook pages. The exhibit will be up until Jan. 10, 2022.
