CCP

Featured art by Bhernn Saenz. Images courtesy of CCP.

MANILA, Philippines — With its coming return for its 19th edition, Philippines’ largest multi-arts event, the CCP Pasinaya Open House Festival, is looking to feature an exciting new component, along with an expanded audience reach. The festival will take place on February 1 and 2, 2025 at various venues nationwide under the theme “CCP Pasinaya 2025 Open House Festival: Para sa Lahat!”

This year, CCP Pasinaya is set to be the precursor to the National Arts Month 2025 celebration, setting the stage for a month-long tribute to the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage and artistic excellence. In partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), this year’s National Arts Month aims to engage audiences from all walks of life, inviting them to explore, support, and celebrate the dynamic and flourishing arts scene across the country.

Image courtesy of CCP.

With the country’s leading cultural institutions collaborating, CCP Pasinaya will showcase Filipino artists in an effort to foster a deeper appreciation for how the arts shape the nation’s identity and cultural landscape, unite communities, inspire creativity, and preserve its rich traditions.

The festival also extends its reach to new regional partner sites, including Clark (Pampanga) collaborating with Clark Development Corporation, Batangas Province (Batangas), Himamaylan (Negros Occidental), and Sorsogon City (Bicol). It also makes a highly anticipated return to Iloilo City headed by the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) and Tagum City (Davao del Norte) with the Musikahan sa Tagum Foundation, Inc. This is in partnership with the networks of the CCP Kaisa sa Sining.

In Metro Manila, the CCP Pasinaya will unfold across multiple venues from Circuit Makati, The Metropolitan Theater, Intramuros, Aliw Theater, and various partner museums, and galleries, to bring a vibrant celebration of Filipino arts and culture.

“The CCP Pasinaya has always been a celebration of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Philippines. As we mark its 19th edition, we are excited to expand the festival’s reach and bring more inclusive, accessible, and engaging experiences to audiences across the country. With new regional partners and innovative components like the Palaro, Pasinaya 2025 promises to be a grander, more vibrant showcase of Filipino artistry for all to enjoy,” shares CCP President Kaye C. Tinga.

Favorite components – Palihan, Palabas, Paseo Museo, Palitan, Pagtitipon, and Pamilihan – bring together a diverse mix of art groups and individual artists from across the Philippines. These comprise of over 200 performances, workshops, and activities showcasing the best of music, theater, dance, visual arts, films, and literature.

Image courtesy of CCP.

In Palihan, the public can participate in workshops of various art disciplines conducted by leading artists, resource persons, and experts. Palabas is all about performances featuring the CCP resident companies such as the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bayanihan National Dance Company, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, and the Madrigal Singers, along with professional, amateur, and community-based artists and arts organizations.

Palitan is an arts market where pre-registered participants can pitch their productions and other contents to prospective producers from here and abroad; while CCP Kaisa sa Sining regional network members converge in Pagtitipon. Paseo Museo gives audiences a hop-on, hop-off tour of the partner museums and galleries that dot Manila and Pasay cities.

A new highlight of this year is Palaro, which features the final output of the CCP Game and Comics Development Grant awardees that showcase Philippine mythology, simulation with iconic Filipino heroes, exploration of Philippine landmarks, puzzles, and story-driven adventure. This allows participants experience live gameplay demos, participate in exciting tournaments, and explore the developers’ innovative creations up close.

Image courtesy of CCP.

“The addition of Palaro to this year’s CCP Pasinaya is a groundbreaking step in celebrating the intersection of art, technology, and creativity. By featuring the innovative works of the CCP Game Development grantees, we are highlighting the immense talent and potential of our Filipino creators in the gaming industry by providing them a platform to showcase their craft. Palaro offers a fresh and exciting experience for our audience, making CCP Pasinaya 2025 even more dynamic and inclusive. Truly it is Para Sa Lahat,” adds CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Dennis N. Marasigan.

With its See-All-You-Can, Workshop-All-You-Can, Network-all-You-Can, Pay-What-You-Can scheme, the CCP Pasinaya anticipates an audience of over 50,000. In 2024, the festival attracted approximately 45,347 audience base in six venues in Manila, Iloilo and Tagum. It collaborated with 26 embassies, partnered with 17 museums and galleries, featured 142 performing groups and artists, and 44 Pamilihan vendors.

Since its inception in 2005, the CCP Pasinaya has since served as a launch event to the National Arts Month celebration. It was originally created as CCP’s marketing tool to provide previews for its upcoming productions and programming for the year. Through the years, the festival has grown bigger and become a venue for art appreciation and education, networking, and collaborations.

Official poster courtesy of CCP.

For more details on Pasinaya and other CCP events, check out the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and its official social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.