24/09/2025
Beyond the Canvas: Painting a Sustainable Future for Quirino's Artists
The Quirino-Isabela-Kalinga Team's Advocacy for Visual Arts in the Philippines
Art is often seen as a luxury, a colorful addition to a room, or an item for collection. But for the Team Quirino-Isabela-Kalinga, art is a vital part of a community's soulโa mirror of its history, a vessel for its stories, and a bridge to its future. Our advocacy, inspired by our work in the course CULED 203, "Philippine History," and a deeply personal art exhibit titled "Basket of Happiness: Celebration of Pasko, The Quirinian Way," is dedicated to empowering local visual artists.
We believe that by supporting these artists, we can help them move from a state of precarity to one of professional and creative flourishing. This isn't just about painting pictures; itโs about painting a better reality for those who bring color to our lives.
The Spark of Inspiration: From Academic Project to Community Movement
Our journey began with a simple but powerful idea: to celebrate the unique way Quirino province observes Pasko. As part of an Art Exhibit for our history course, some members of our team featured the vibrant traditions of our home province. This project highlighted the rich, untapped artistic talent within our community and the need for a more structured platform to showcase it.
Our research led us to the I am an Artist of Quirino (IMAQ), a visual arts group born out of a collective effort to decorate the local church for "Paskuhan sa Quirino" in 2012. IMAQ has since become a key cultural bearer of Quirino, adding artistic flair to major provincial events like the Pangdadapun (Quirino Founding Anniversary Festival) and Quirino Motorismo. They use their art to feature local culture, heritage, and the immense talent of their members, including national winners like Renel Ian S. Gacayan and Mac Daryl Malto.
The accomplishments of artists like Gacayan, a national champion in Storybook Writing with his piece Si Amboy at ang Oban ni Ina Kuyappi, and Malto, a recipient of the Darnay Demitilio Artist Award, prove that world-class talent thrives in our province. These successes, however, also highlighted a critical problem: the systemic challenges faced by artists, particularly those outside major urban centers.
The Unseen Struggles: Why This Advocacy Matters
Our advocacy is a direct response to the documented struggles of visual artists in the Philippines. As highlighted by P.V.B. Flores in Peripheral Realities: Visual Artists in Cebu, Philippines (2018), artists outside of metropolitan areas often face market marginalization and a lack of institutional support. They are forced to rely on self-funding or rare patrons to produce their work, and the public often views art as a luxury rather than an essential part of society. This reality leads to a vicious cycle where artists must seek non-arts-related employment to survive, ultimately decreasing the production of new art.
Furthermore, the Philippine art scene struggles with a lack of professionalization and ethical guidelines, as noted by A. Guillermo in the struggle for Philippine art - then and now (2010). The absence of a regulatory body or strong professional organizations leaves artists vulnerable to unethical practices from collectors and dealers. They often find it difficult to get fair compensation for their work or protect their intellectual property.
