The City Government of Dumaguete, through the City Tourism Office, celebrates National Arts Month until Feb. 26 with a series of activities in various venues in the city.
Dubbed as Kisaw Dumaguete, the whole month celebration aims to showcase, promote and develop local arts, like, dance, music, visual arts, literature, theatre, crafts and film.
Other upcoming events in celebration of National Arts Month:
The Sayaw Pinoy on Feb. 19, 5pm at Quezon Parkwhere five leading dance troupes in the country will treat the locals to folk and contemporary dances;
The Puting Tabing sa Terminal on Feb. 24, 7pm at the Ceres Bus Terminal, a showing of short films made by local filmmakers to passengers while waiting for their buses;
The Daguit Arts & Crafts Trade Fair on Feb. 25-28 at Robinsons Mall where visual arts exhibitions and local crafts will highlight works of some of the best artists in Dumaguete and Negros Oriental; and
To cap the celebration is Tayada sa Plaza, the longest running talent and cultural show in the city and province, on Feb. 26, at 5:30pm, where cultural and musical performances will be presented by some of the cultural icons in the city such as the SU Campus Choristers, the NORSU Kabilin Dance Troupe, the Youth Advocates through Theatre & Arts, and the BellTower Project bands and many more.
The Sandurot Festival contingent, fresh from the third-place award winning performance in the recent Sinulog Festival, will also perform at the Tayada.
The celebration of National Arts Month is mandated in the Constitution which states that “arts and letters shall enjoy the patronage of the State. The State shall conserve, promote, and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and resources, as well as artistic creations.”
Re-enforcing this Constitutional mandate is Proclamation 683 signed by President Corazon Aquino in January 1991 declaring the month of February of every year as National Arts Month.
Dumaguete City, being the melting pot of artists, writers, theatre performers, musicians, and a favorite venue for exhibitions, forums and workshops, and cultural performances, has consistently observed National Arts Month, and has always encouraged the community to join in the celebration as a way to enrich their culture and identity as a people.
