BAGUIO will always be an artist’s village.
An ili, or village, Tam-awan has etched itself as one of the few places in the Summer Capital where you can get the feeling of being immersed in deeply rooted culture and art of the Cordilleras.
With this, Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. urged succeeding officials to institutionalize the Tam-awan International Arts Festival during its opening program Monday.
During his keynote speech, Bautista stressed the importance of preserving the rich culture that remained preserved in this mountain resort city which captivated 25 percent of the artists in the country to make Baguio their home.
As hundreds of art habitués here and abroad flocked the city for workshops handled by internationally renowned artists, Bautista said the city will always remain a strong center of the arts in the country.
Chanum foundation president Jordan Mang-osan concurred with the Mayor’s challenge by saying that his fellow artists particularly those residing in Tam-awan Village believe that once the arts festival will institutionalized, it will be forever be another hallmark event which many art aficionados would surely not miss in a lifetime.
Mang-osan added the festival is aimed at preserving and develo- ping the gift of arts by celebrating the practice of the craft with society and also to protect the remaining artistry and aesthetical heritage left in Baguio.
Meanwhile, on behalf of co-sponsor National Commission for Culture and the Arts chairperson Vilma Labrador, Fr. Harold Rentoria head of NCCA’s sub commission on cultural heritage was keynote speaker during the formal opening program Monday which had a soft opening last weekend with a series of workshops held at the Tam-awan Village, Baguio Convention Center and Baguio City National High School.
Rentoria said as a seat of culture, Baguio has been a center being looked up by other cities in the country for its unique charm as an artist’s paradise.
“Baguio and its people have a strong faith in the art as evidenced by the relationship of artists in the locality,” he said.
The Tam-awan international arts festival that will run until tomorrow featured free workshops for nine categories that involved contemporary painting, pottery, creative writing, dance, Cordillera music, voice, theatre arts and art as healing facilitated by internationally acclaimed artists.
The facilitators were Roland Bay-an, Norman Chow, Patric Palasi, Saudi Ahmad, Ged Alangui, Jordan Mang-osan, Joey de Castro, Baguio Amplified Hip-Hop Group, Benny Sokong, Jerry Respeto, Alma Quinto and Annie Bungauen.