National Arts Month 2026 opens with concert

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By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

MANILA — National Arts Month (NAM) 2026 officially opened Sunday, Feb. 1, with a large-scale concert, Ani ng Sining: Konsiyerto ng Katotohanan at Giting (The Product of Art: Concert of Truth and Courage), at the Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium in Luneta, launching a monthlong celebration of diverse art forms across the country.

Led by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the opening event presented art as an everyday presence in Filipino life, extending beyond traditional visual forms to include music, movement, architecture, and storytelling embedded in communities.

The concert highlighted how these art forms converge to foster courage, uphold truth, and encourage collaboration toward peace and development.

Opening activities began with a grand parade at 4 p.m., leading audiences to the open-air venue. Performances followed from 6 to 8 p.m., unfolding through a structured program tracing Filipino creativity, identity, and social responsibility.

Ceremonial segments Pagdating ng Ilaw (The Arrival of Light) and Pagpasa ng Liwanag sa Kabataan (Passing the Light to the Youth) symbolized the transmission of cultural heritage and artistic responsibility across generations.

These were followed by themed monologues — Ang Binhi ng Sining (The Seed of Art), Sining Bilang Ugat at Alaala (Art as Root and Memory), Sining at Giting ng Bayan (Art and the Dignity of the Nation), and Ang Pananagutan ng Ilaw (The Responsibility of Light) — reflecting on the role of the arts in shaping national memory, identity, and civic life.

Performance highlights included Pitong Alay ng Sining (Seven Offerings of Art) by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe; choral and dance numbers by UST Coro Tomasino and the Yogad Cultural Dance Group; and traditional and contemporary works by Indak Guiguintenyo Folkloric Group, Philippine Ballet Theatre, and Anak Bale-Balayan.

A fashion show segment showcased the country’s creative industries, while the modern set Katotohanan sa Makabagong Anyo (Truth in New Forms) featured The Addlib and The O Divas.

Miss Grand International 2025 Emma Mary Tiglao appeared onstage alongside performances by Monica Gana, Lucky G., and Elaiza Jem.

The evening concluded with a collective finale performance of Ani ng Sining (The Product of Art), uniting artists and performers in a celebration of Filipino creativity.

NAM 2026 celebration

The 2026 observance carries the theme Ani ng Sining: Katotohanan at Giting (Product of Art: Truth and Courage), highlighting art as both an individual pursuit and a collective expression of lived realities.

Artists from the disciplines of architecture and allied arts, cinema, dance, dramatic arts, literary arts, music, and visual arts are set to collaborate throughout the month to demonstrate how the arts complement one another in advancing social cohesion and development.

NAM 2026 activities are being held across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with each region hosting initiatives that pair specific art forms.

In Luzon, the celebration features art workshops and theater performances focused on dramatic arts and architecture and allied arts, from Feb. 18 to 20 in Los Baños, Laguna.

The Visayas observance carries the sub-theme Pag-uswag han Tawo ngan Kalibungan (Climate Justice), highlighting the intersection of art and environmental sustainability.

Regional activities in the Visayas opened ahead of the national launch on Jan. 12 with a series of talks and will conclude with a workshop on art and climate justice on Feb. 18 in Palo, Leyte.

In Mindanao, celebrations are being held in Butuan and Davao.

Butuan’s activities follow the theme Lawig Mindanaw: Kalinaw ug Kahigayunan (Peace and Access), emphasizing the roles of dance, music, and film in sparking dialogue on inclusion and peace.

Butuanon history, culture, and people take center stage through theater performances and exhibits scheduled for Feb. 12 to 14, 21 to 22, and 24 to 26.

Celebrations in Davao, set for Feb. 20 to 21, focus on amplifying Mindanaoan narratives through works by local choreographers, visual artists, and filmmakers.

A major highlight of the celebrations is the Art FriDates initiative, held every Friday of February at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Blackbox Theater, Likhang Pilipino Complex, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, and the World Trade Center, all in Pasay City.

The program brings together artists from all seven art forms for workshops and performances, with free admission.

Art FriDates is also being staged nationwide in partnership with local government units to support community-based artists.

Schedules include Feb. 6 in Angono, Rizal; Feb. 13 in Bulacan; Feb. 20 in Biñan, Laguna; Feb. 27 in Quezon province; and March 6 in Muntinlupa City, with open houses beginning at 2 p.m. and performances starting at 4 p.m.

National Arts Month is observed every February under Presidential Proclamation No. 683, signed by President Corazon C. Aquino on Jan. 28, 1991.

The proclamation states that “the disciplines of theatre, dance, music, visual arts, architecture, literature, media arts and film need to be preserved, enriched and evolved in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression.”

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray marks her seventh year as the NCCA’s arts ambassador, a role she has held since 2020.

“There are so many different forms of art. […] I’m so excited to see that [NAM 2026] has a more collaborative approach to the various forms of art, which allows us to open our minds to experience new things and to be inspired in different ways,” Gray said during the NAM 2026 launch in January at Centro de Turismo, Intramuros.