Guimaras gets its first youth art hub for young creatives

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

NUEVA VALENCIA, Guimaras — Nueva Valencia National High School will break ground Monday, June 8, on the first dedicated youth art hub in the Schools Division of Guimaras, a project meant to nurture young artists and widen access to creative spaces in public education.

Dubbed the Jennie Love Youth Center: Kuris-Kuris Art Hub, the facility will serve as a venue for art education, exhibitions, workshops, and community-based creative programs for students and emerging artists in Nueva Valencia and across Guimaras.

School officials described the project as a milestone not only for NVNHS but for the province, noting it will be the first art hub of its kind in the Schools Division of Guimaras.

Dedicated arts facilities remain uncommon in Philippine public schools, where creative programs often compete for limited budgets, making the project a notable investment for Guimaras, one of the country’s smallest island provinces.

The project drew support from philanthropists Jennie Love and Barney Gochnour of Reaching Out Worldwide, working with local advocates, artists, and community leaders who have championed arts development in the province.

Architect Frank Alexi Nobleza of Nobleza + Gallo Architects designed the modern facility, envisioned as a welcoming space where young people can explore their talents and join cultural activities.

The initiative traces its roots to the Estorya Kuris-Kuris Art Caravan Program of SUBLI Artists-Guimaras, which launched its first leg at NVNHS and helped build a growing community of young artists in the municipality.

Supporters called the youth center a natural extension of those efforts and a testament to sustained investment in arts and culture.

School administrators thanked Nobleza, community advocate Rhen Poll Potato, and the project’s donors and supporters for helping bring the vision to life.

They also credited Principal Gina Navida, Cynthia Bautista, and other partners who worked behind the scenes on the project.

Once completed, the Jennie Love Youth Center: Kuris-Kuris Art Hub is expected to become a creative home for the province’s emerging artists, offering opportunities for artistic growth, cultural exchange, and community engagement.