The first-ever Visayas Art Fair held at Montebello Hotel in Cebu City was an event initiated by the National Commission for Culture and Arts, together with the Cebu Design Week Inc., Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Sacred Heart School for Boys Batch 1985 Foundation, and the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation.
The “Visayas Art Fair: Connecting the Islands through Art,” was opened for private viewing on Thursday, November 25, and was officially opened to the public on November 26. The event ran for four days, featuring works by 17 artists and galleries from Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas.
“This is really very inspiring and very motivating for current artists, and for even younger ones to go and practice art. To make art. Because this makes a difference in our society,” said Palmy Pe-Tudtud, Dean of the UP Cebu College of Communication, Arts, and Design who also gave a talk on Bayin Inspired: Woman Artists in the Visayas.
Art talks, competitions, live performances, and demonstrations will also be held with the special participation of the Jose Joya Arts Awardees and UP Cebu professors.
Prof. Dennis “Sio” Montera gave a talk on Art Market Opportunities for Visayan Artistson27 November 2021. “What are the traditional and emerging art market opportunities for artists in the Visayas? In the field of visual art, profitability is never a guarantee, especially in the province. This constant instability makes it necessary to seek new opportunities,” says the internationally-acclaimed and staged artist, Sio Montera.
Prof. Javy Villacin facilitated the Printmaking workshop for artists and guests on 27 November 2021.
Raymund Fernandez, retired UP Professor, gave a talk on Martino Abellana: His Role in the Development of Regional Art on 26 November 2021
Prof. Karl Roque facilitated the Nude Drawing Sessions participated by artists and guests on 26 November 2021.
Aside from facilitating a workshop on Art Writing on the first day of the event, Prof. Jay Nathan Jore also gave a talk on The Role of Art Galleries in Promoting Art in the Visayas the following day.
Prof. Mona Alcudia gave a talk on The Joya and Prospects of Collecting Art on the last day of the Art Fair.
The workshops were co-organized by the Office for the Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) and the Fine Arts Program of the University of the Philippines Cebu.
