Ortigas Art Festival Advocates ‘Art for All’

Ortigas Art Festival is held at GH Mall in San Juan City for the first time (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

For several years, the Ortigas Malls, under Ortigas Land, in collaboration with artist groups and cultural organizations, has been providing an avenue to get more and more people exposed to and experience the arts, promoting the works of artists, especially local and emerging ones, and deepening awareness on and appreciation for the arts through the Ortigas Art Festival, which has been regularly held at the Ortigas Center, a business district in Pasig City.

            This year, organizers, artists and art enthusiasts celebrate another iteration of the festival, which is held from July 10 to 24, 2025, at GH (Greenhills) Mall in San Juan City, with the theme “Art for All: A Celebration of Borderless Artistic Expression.” This is the first time that the festival is being held outside Estancia Mall, bringing with it a slew of events and activities including exhibits, talks, workshops, dance and musical performances, a fashion showcase and film screenings

“Over the past eight years, the Ortigas Art Festival has grown into something truly special—a platform where Filipino creativity thrives, and where art is brought closer to the everyday Filipino. And along the way, this humble idea blossomed into an award-winning festival, recognized for its mission to make art accessible, inclusive, and alive in public spaces,” said architect Renee Bacani, vice president of Ortigas Malls, in her speech during the opening on July 10. 

“But these achievements aren't just ours—they belong to all of you. To the artists who continue to push boundaries. To our cultural collaborators who believe in the power of community. And to every guest who walks into the exhibit with curiosity, wonder, and heart,” she added.

Bacani also enthused, “This year, we mark a new chapter as we welcome the festival to GH Mall in San Juan City—a vibrant space designed to uplift and connect. With exhibitions at the East Wing and South Wing Atrium, immersive workshops at the Tech Hub, and a rich calendar of performances, talks, and film screenings, we invite you to experience art in a way that's interactive, inspiring, and deeply personal.”

Festival consultant Helen Mirasol recalled the journey of the festival, saying, “We started back in 2018 utilizing a portion of the bridgeway in Estancia. Over the years, we got progressively larger, and we occupied a good portion of the East Wing of Estancia.”

“Besides being free to both exhibitors and the viewing public, this festival has also been innovative. Every year saw additions until we had become the multifaceted festival that we are today. We also moved from the traditional National Arts Month of February because many others were exhibiting at the same time. Because of our adaptability, I believe we were the only art exhibit to physically present their works during Covid while others resorted to online presentations,” she added.

 

Continuing through the Pandemic

Organizers are proud of the fact the festival was continuously being held despite the pandemic. 

“What is unique here is that we are celebrating the eighth Ortigas Art Festival, and we encounter a lot of challenges, especially during the pandemic. And to us, this is a milestone because we did not stop, we did not close during the pandemic. Ito lang ang isang art festival na tuloy-tuloy nagkaroon ng exhibit, physical exhibition. So, sa amin, tagumpay ito (This is the only art festival that continuously held exhibits—physical exhibitions. So for us, this is a victory),” artist Renato Habulan, another of the festival consultants, averred.

            In his speech during the opening, he recalled that dark period: “Noong 2020, ang Ortigas Art Festival was joined by more than 300 artists and more than 500 artworks. Kasama sa eksibit ang mga Filipino artists na nakabase sa ibang bansa gaya ng New York, Australia, Hong Kong at Singapore. May mga foreign artists din na sumama mula sa Indonesia, Australia, Serbia, Germany at Bangladesh. Natapos ang malaking festival na ito limang araw bago mag-lockdown (In 2020, the Ortigas Art Festival was joined by more than 300 artists and featured over 500 artworks. The exhibit included Filipino artists based in other countries such as New York, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Foreign artists also participated, coming from Indonesia, Australia, Serbia, Germany, and Bangladesh. This big festival concluded just five days before the lockdown).”

He also related, “Ang (the) fourth Ortigas Art Festival ay ginanap noong (was held from) February 24 to March 31, 2021. Again, we were fortunate to have a physical exhibit during the window of total lockdown. The festival expanded to include photography, film and the greater participation in sculpture. In 2022, the fifth Ortigas Art Festival was rescheduled for July to ensure the safety of our attendees, allowing a larger celebration that included the performing arts and fashion design.”

 

Advocacy to Help Young Artists

According to Habulan, the Ortigas Art Festival is not only a local event, but “has a national scope.”  

“Since the start, the festival expanded its participation to include artists from various regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, providing them with a platform and space to showcase their art in the metro. In 2023, we featured artists from Pangasinan, Bulacan and Laguna. In 2024, we showcased artists from Iloilo, Angono and Quezon,” he revealed. 

This feature was born out of the advocacy of helping emerging artists, especially local artists and those from the regions outside of Metro Manila, he said. 

“‘Yung aming call na ‘art for all’ or ‘art for everyone’ ay nagbubukas sa mga kabataang artist kahit baguhan sila. Walang espasyo na magbibigay sa 'yo kung bata kang artist. So, ito, Ortigas Art Festival, ay bukas sa mga kabataang artist mula sa Metro Manila, sa regions, IloIlo, Bacolod, Pangasinan. We've been exhibiting their works for eight years (Our call for ‘art for all’ or ‘art for everyone’ opens doors for young artists, even beginners. There are very few spaces that welcome you if you’re a young artist. So, the Ortigas Art Festival is open to young artists from Metro Manila and the regions like Iloilo, Bacolod, and Pangasinan. We've been exhibiting their works for eight years),” Habulan said.

He explained: “So, we go from…like the Agos Art Studio, we have the art caravan, we go out to different provinces and look for artists, you know, look for young artists, struggling artists that are very good. You know, wala silang…iyong walang kakayahan para ituloy nila iyung kanilang sining, walang espasyo para ipakita iyong kanilang sining, at walang kakayahan para i-develop ang art nila. So, itong ginagawa namin, mga artist initiative, tulad ng Agos Studio, ng Linangan (Art Residency), at ng iba pang mga artist-run initiative (You know, those who don’t have the means to pursue their art, who lack the space to showcase their work, and don’t have the resources to develop their craft. So, that is what we do, the artist initiatives like Agos Studio, Linangan [Art Residency], and other artist-run initiatives).”

The works of these emerging artists are given the platform to reach a wider audience, and the audience are also afforded easy access to these works and other forms of art at the Ortigas Art Festival. 

“You don't have to pay to come in and look at the art. You can just come in during lunch hour or whenever. And the artists, they don't have to pay to exhibit. So, sayang, if they exhibit and they don't sell anything, they're out. So, here, everything is free. We're trying to democratize art,” Mirasol said. 

 

A Platform for Different Experiences

            The visual arts exhibit remains to be at the heart of the festival. This year, three art exhibits showcase the works of artists presented by different galleries including Art Circle, Art Point, Jean & Jaz Gallerie, Nami Art, and Historia Art Gallery, as well as of artists from artists’ groups and initiatives, Angono Artists Collective, Linangan Art Residency, and Pasig Art Club. The exhibits also feature works by artists from the host city of San Juan, Melvin John B. Ante and Danielle Ortiz, together with Shine Vitto from Mindoro, and Raul Roco, Jr. 

A notable feature of the festival is the photography exhibits presented by Redlab Gallery and Born in Film.

The exhibit “Chromatic Realms” featured the works of Rommel Bundalian, Jijo de Guzman, Arlene Donaire, Joel H. Garcia, Bien Gutierrez, Ricky Ladia, Edwin Loyola, Cris Magsino, Win Magsino, Abi Miguel, Jay Tablante and Raymond Tanhueco. Additionally, this section also has a display of old cameras to celebrate a century of the device and the Photo Nation, a wall covered with thousands of photographs from photographers from around the country and the world. 

Young designer Chynna Mamawal also has an exhibit of her designs. 

At the Promenade Cinema, Filipino films Babae at Baril, John Denver Trending, and Thy Womb are screened in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

 The Learning Tree, Halili School of Ballet, and UPeepz also mount performances.

The Tech Hub on the fourth floor becomes a venue workshops, artists’ talks, forums, and pop-up ventures, including the Watercolor Pop-Up Art Fair by Philippine Guild of Watercolorists; art talk by Linangan’s Manny Garibay; and workshops by Pasig Art Club and Born in Film.

“We hope you walk through the galleries with a sense of wonder. We hope you take part in the activities, meet the artists, and maybe even uncover a creative spark of your own,” Bacani said. “Most of all, we hope your experience here is enriching, not just artistically, but emotionally. Because this isn't just about viewing art, it's about feeling connected, being inspired, and celebrating the creative spirit that lives in all of us.”

“Our mission has always been to bring art closer to people and people closer to art,” said Habulan. “‘Art for all’ is our guiding principle. We believe that by making art more accessible, we’re helping artists grow, helping communities connect, and creating meaningful cultural experiences for everyone.”

An exhibit of works by different artists from different galleries and organizations (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Thousands of photos make up the 'Photo Nation' wall at the exhibit 'Chromatic Realms' (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Celebrating the camera at the exhibit 'Chromatic Realms' (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Fashion designer  Chynna Mamawal with some of her works (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Pride Across the Metro

Colorful lights brighten the National Museum of Fine Arts (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

When June, the start of the wet season in the Philippines, arrived, so did the habagat or southwest monsoon bringing with somber skies and rains to Metro Manila, which is already drab in many parts. But the month brought splashes of rainbow colors as LGBTIQ+ Pride Month was also celebrated, and more institutions, agencies, companies, local governments, communities and organizations joined in this 2025 celebration, some of them bedecking buildings, other structures and everyday spaces with Pride flags and rainbow colored lights and decorations. These decorations—from light show on the façade of the iconic Cultural Center of the Philippines to glittery buntings in a barangay in Pasig City—were meant to be powerful visual statements of support for and solidarity with the LGBTIQ+ community, reflecting a cultural shift and hopefully increasing acceptance and recognition of diversity and inclusion.  

            The biggest Pride decoration effort was the rainbow lighting on the façade and back of the fifty-storey, high-rise office building, Mega Tower, which is one of the tallest structures in Metro Manila. Located beside SM Megamall, along EDSA in Mandaluyong City, and notable for its curvilinear structural design, it lorded over the Ortigas Center-Crossing area.

            Beside the Mega Tower is SM Megamall, once the largest mall in the Philippines, which mounted the Pride Love installation by the entrance. Colorful and eye-catching, it served as an amusing backdrop for Instagrammable photos. 

            Other SM malls were lit with rainbow lights such as  SM City Taytay in Taytay, Rizal, on the outskirts of Metro Manila, and SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, “because everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and embraced,” they posted on their Facebook page.

“Mall of Asia is a safe, inclusive space where diversity is not just welcomed, but celebrated,” they emphasized.

SM Supermalls actually had lineup different Pride events at several of its malls.

            On the other hand, Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City installed a bow-shaped rainbow pathway at its garden and a large LED screen flashed the Pride flag as well as statements such as “What if the next generation never felt the need to come out?” and “You make this world a more beautiful place.”

Quezon City had the most visible of Pride trappings among local government units in Metro Manila. But more than these, it is also the most progressive in terms LGBTIQ+ inclusion and respect for the sector’s human rights, led by its mayor, Joy Belmonte. The past few years, the city has hosted and co-organized the country’s Pride March, Love Laban: Pride PH Festival, which became the biggest Pride event in Southeast Asia.

            During the 2025 Pride Month, the façade of Quezon City Hall’s high-rise building scintillated with rainbow-colored lights. 

            Just across the city hall, the Quezon Memorial Circle, which is dedicated to memorialize the second Philippine President, Manuel L. Quezon, has hosted Pride PH Festival from 2022 to 2024. Though not a venue for this year’s festival, it still sported Pride decorations—its pathways covered with floating, multi-colored umbrellas and the pylons of the Quezon Memorial Shrine bathed in lights of changing colors. They are the first historical landmark and national park in the country to engage in Pride events. 

Another historical site, Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila, participated in the celebration for the first time. Pride flags were displayed prominently at its gate. 

“We stand in celebration and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, honoring love, identity, and the freedom to be yourself,” the Intramuros Administration, which manages the tourist attraction, wrote on its Facebook page.

            After the Supreme Court of the Philippines joined Pride celebration a couple of years ago, another high branch of national government displayed Pride colors. The Senate of the Philippines, led by its Gender and Development Focal Point, lit its building in Pasay City in rainbow colors.

“The institution reaffirms its recognition of the diverse sectors that make up our society, including the LGBTQIA+ community,” it said in its Facebook post.

Ironically, the SOGIESC Equality Bill, which aims to protect persons from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics, has not been passed after more than two decades.

Cultural agencies of the national government have also expressed support during Pride Month. Notably, the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) beamed with rainbow-colored lights, saying it "is one with the LGBTQIA+ community" in its Facebook post on 16 June.

"For the rest of June, we are lighting up the façade of the National Museum of Fine Arts into a vibrant rainbow, and flying pride and progress flags across all our museums as part of our display of allyship and support!" they announced.

"We at the NMP remain steadfast in making our spaces safe, open, and inclusive," they emphasized.

For several years now, NMP has been displaying its support for and solidarity with the LGBTIQ+ community, and holding special programs for Pride Month.

            Likewise, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) also lit its main building in rainbow colors, which also became a canvas for GOBO projections of patterns resembling human fingerprints, designed by its Production Design and Technical Services Division.

“The fingerprint motif is both intimate and powerful. It symbolizes identity, authenticity, and visibility, central themes in the ongoing conversation about gender equality and inclusion. With this installation, we aim not only to celebrate Pride Month, but to remind all Filipinos that diversity is strength, and that every person has the right to be seen, heard, and respected,” said CCP artistic director Dennis N. Marasigan, who also chairs the CCP Gender and Development Committee.

Even in smaller communities around the metro made effort to decorate for Pride. The small Barangay Sumilang Park, which sits along the Pasig River, in Pasig City became festive, festooned with rainbow ribbons and flaglets, its gate adorned with a rainbow arch. 

            While there is no new rainbow crosswalks like in previous years, the stairs of a pedestrian footbridge at the intersection of EDSA Extension and Roxas Boulevard were painted in rainbow colors.

            Also, the LED billboard, the biggest in the country, on GA Tower 1, regularly showed a Pride Progress flag over the busy traffic along EDSA in Mandaluyong City.

Members of the LGBTIQ+ community and allies welcomed these shows of support, appreciative for their exuberant and brave declarations, considering that about 10 years ago, none even dared to express support for the sector for fear of ridicule or rebuke. These displays indicate how perceptions have changed in recent years, and contribute to visibility and awareness as well as historical and cultural acknowledgment of the LGBTIQ+ community.

            However, these displays may also be just decorations, results of performative allyship and riding the bandwagon, tokenist gestures that do not really translate to real change for the LGBTIQ+ community. It also remains to be seen if these actions are consistent and accompanied with a more effective measures to address the challenges the sector faces. As these displays dramatically transform spaces, may they also transform hearts.

 

The CCP main building (Photo by Orly Daquipi)

The Mega Tower with rainbow lights, illuminating the Ortigas Center-Crossing area in Mandaluyong City (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

 The attractive Pride Love installation by the entrance of SM Megamall (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Even smaller communities joined the celebration such as the barangay of Sumilang in Pasig City (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Multi-colored stairs of the EDSA Extension-Roxas Boulevard pedestrian footbridge (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Pride flags at Fort Santiago in Intramuros (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Quezon City Hall's Pride lighting (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)