Iloilo’s creative canvas expands through art for everyone

By Ted Aldwin Ong

What began as a celebration of accessible art has grown into a compelling portrait of Western Visayas’ thriving creative community. In its second year, “Art for Everyone” returns to SM City Iloilo with an even broader canvas, gathering nearly 600 artworks by 296 artists from 17 art groups across Iloilo, Guimaras, Capiz, Aklan and Antique.

From July 13 to 26, the mall’s Northpoint Lower Ground Floor serves as more than an exhibition venue. It becomes a meeting ground for artistic practice, where established names and emerging voices come together, inviting shoppers, collectors and curious audiences to engage with the region’s evolving visual culture.

Launched in 2025 by SM Supermalls on the belief that art belongs to everyone, “Art for Everyone” established dedicated art spaces across 21 SM malls nationwide as venues for exhibitions and art fairs. By bringing together established artists, students, community-based creatives and young talents, the initiative broadens opportunities for artistic visibility while encouraging meaningful encounters between artists and the public.

This year’s Western Visayas edition embodies that vision through the participation of some of the region’s most active artistic communities, reflecting the diversity of practices and perspectives that define the region’s creative landscape.

Iloilo, the region’s cultural hub, is represented by Kikik Kollektive, Himbon Contemporary Ilonggo Artists Group, Exit Studio, the Fine Arts Major Organization of the University of San Agustin (FAMO), Pinta Ilonggo, Katilingban Biswal, Ogtonganon Visual Artists League (OVAL), Joel Ferraris Art Gallery, OBRA Artists Group of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, and the Panay Organization of Realist Movement Artists (PORMA).

Guimaras is represented by Subli Artists Guimaras Inc. (SAGI), Pinta AYA Guimaras Artists, Duag Young Artists and Kuris-Kuris Art Teens Guimaras, reflecting the island province’s vibrant and growing visual arts community.

Antique is represented by Rahmag Art Group, while Kamisari Art Collective brings together artists from the neighboring provinces of Aklan and Capiz, highlighting the collaborative spirit that continues to shape the region’s artistic landscape.

The exhibition is further enriched by the participation of 40 independent artists and seven digital artists, whose works broaden the range of creative voices, media and contemporary perspectives presented throughout the exhibition.

At its heart, “Art for Everyone” reflects the centuries-long democratization of art. For much of history, artistic production was shaped by systems of patronage centered on monarchs, nobility and the church. Masterpieces were commissioned for royal courts, palaces, castles and cathedrals, where access was largely reserved for the privileged.

Art functioned not only as an expression of beauty but also as a symbol of power, faith and social prestige, with opportunities to create, exhibit and experience it often determined by class and institutional authority.

This exclusivity gradually gave way to a more public culture of art. The emergence of public museums during the Enlightenment marked a pivotal shift, opening collections once reserved for elites to broader audiences.

In the centuries that followed, successive art movements challenged academic traditions, redefined artistic expression and expanded who could participate in the making and appreciation of art.

The parallel growth of commercial galleries, cultural centers and community art spaces further widened opportunities for artists to exhibit their work and for the public to engage with contemporary artistic practice.

Shopping malls represent a recent chapter in this evolution. As they have grown into contemporary civic spaces where people gather for work, leisure and everyday life, they have also become accessible venues for cultural experiences. Within this context, “Art for Everyone” reimagines the mall as a place where creativity becomes part of everyday life, making art more visible, approachable and deeply connected to the communities it serves.

Building on the momentum of its inaugural year, which generated an estimated PHP 5.8 million in art sales, the 2026 edition expands its reach through partnerships with schools, galleries, cultural organizations, art groups, local government units and independent practitioners. These collaborations strengthen the exhibition as both a marketplace and a platform for creative exchange, professional networking, collaboration and the discovery of new artistic voices.

This approach to arts promotion has earned “Art for Everyone” back-to-back Gold Awards at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and the International Business Awards. More than recognizing a successful exhibition, these honors affirm the initiative’s continuing contribution to expanding public access to the arts while fostering lasting connections among artists, audiences, businesses and the communities they serve.