ManilART’26 Concludes 18th Edition, Connecting Art, Heritage and Communities
ManilART’26 marked its 18th edition with Where the Line Begins, exploring the line as a fundamental element of artistic expression and a thread connecting Filipino illustration, komiks, indigenous traditions, and contemporary art. Held October 14-18 at the SMX Aura Convention Center in Taguig City, the fair brought together exhibitions, public programs, and partnerships extending its reach beyond the exhibition floor.
Over five days, ManilART’26 welcomed more than 12,000 visitors and presented 48 xhibitions
across 34 booths and pavilions, featuring 485 artists. The fair formed part of National museums and Galleries Month celebrations and was co-presented by the ManilART Foundation and the City of Taguig.
Taguig Takes Center Stage
Mayor Maria Laarni Cayetano at the Taguig Pavillion
The Taguig Pavilion, formally opened by Mayor Maria Laarni Cayetano, highlighted the host city’s artists, cultural resources, and creative communities. Educational activities included workshops for 50 Taguig MAPE teachers and 50 Taguig senior high school students, while walking tours introduced approximately 500 young Taguig learners to artworks and artistic practices represented at the fair.
Honoring National Artist Patis Tesoro
A highlight was the recognition of Maria Beatriz “Patis” Pamintuan Tesoro, National Artist for
Design. The presentation of a Certificate of Excellence brought together the heads of the One Education Group—Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, CHED chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, and TESDA Director-General Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez—along with Jeremy R. Barns, Director-General of the National Museum of the Philippines, and Mayor Cayetano, honoring Tesoro’s contributions to Philippine design and cultural heritage.
Her ManilART feature highlighted her work as an illustrator and visual artist alongside her practice in Filipiniana fashion and textiles. Her illustrations also feature in Mga Kulay ng Kulturang Pilipino, a joint project with the Department of Education (DepEd) to be published for public school students. The coloring book introduces Filipino culture, heritage, nature, and everyday life through art.
Filipino Komiks and the Art of Illustration
The fair’s theme found direct expression in the Seven Lakes Komiks Festival, which, in collaboration with Komikero Komiks Museum, exhibited works by komiks legends alongside those of contemporary practitioners. Komiks readings, talks, and a panel discussion explored
the medium’s history and continuing evolution, while the presence of heirs and epresentatives of komiks pioneers, legends, and National Artists underscored the importance of preserving this visual heritage.
A pocket exhibit marking National Artist Larry Alcala’s centenary presented samplings of his Slice of Life works, celebrating his distinctive portrayals of Filipino everyday life.
The Larong Atin program connected Filipino play traditions with contemporary tabletop gaming. Fairgoers observed actual gameplay of Encantadia: War of Gems, courtesy of the gaming community, bringing shared play and storytelling into the exhibition setting.
Education and Engagement Beyond the Galleries
In partnership with the Quezon City Medical Society, rehabilitation medicine practitioner Dr.
Gloria Arroyo-Coronel, MD, delivered “Low Back Pain in Visual Artists,” addressing occupational health concerns in artistic practice.
Another initiative, Buwis at Bayan, was an art fundraiser organized with the Tax Management
Association of the Philippines (TMAP), co-hosted by TMAP Director Cathy Bachoco and ManilART Curator Danny Rayos del Sol. Beyond fundraising, it advanced TMAP’s advocacy for recognizing artists as professional practitioners in the creative industries, including awareness of their professional and tax responsibilities. The artworks reflected values of work, integrity, civic responsibility, and contribution to society, connecting artistic expression with the role of creative practitioners in public life.
Regional Partnerships and Art in Situ
ManilART continued to strengthen ties with regional art communities through partnerships with Mindanao Art, Luzon Art Fair, and Visayas Art Fair, joined by Cavite Art Fair in 2026. These collaborations support regional platforms for artists and connect audiences with art in their own communities.
Partner exhibitions extended the program to other venues. Unified Spectrum at the House of Representatives formed part of the wider Museums and Galleries Month program. In San Pablo, Laguna, Artstravaganza 26 highlighted the San Pablo Art Circuit and its 13 member venues, including Patis Tesoro’s Verbena Gallery, Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Studio, Casa San Pablo, Sulyap Gallery and Museum, and Villa Escudero Museum.
Together, these initiatives brought audiences into galleries, museums, private studios, ateliers, and community spaces, strengthening connections among artists, cultural organizations, and the public.
Sustaining Connections Beyond the Annual Fair
ManilART’26 reaffirmed the fair’s role as a platform for exhibitions, education, and collaboration. Its regional partnerships and community programs point toward continued efforts to support artists beyond the annual event, encourage exhibitions in situ, and widen public access to art. Where the Line Begins thus opens further connections between artistic practice, cultural memory, and the communities that sustain them.
ManilART’26 was co-presented by the ManilART Foundation and the City of Taguig as a banner event of the National Committee on Art Galleries and Subcommission on Cultural Heritage for National Museums and Galleries Month.
The fair was made possible through the support of Ladder Events Production, Vision Prime Media, Phoundry, Future Studios, SMX Convention Center Aura, SM Aura, Via Mare Catering, Purefoods Deli, Grentek Solutions, Quatro Arts, Art Caravan, Ticketbooth.ph, Museo Orlina, DB Coffee Roasters, Sebastiao Cocktails, Jade’s Temple Brewery, and BDO Credit Cards.
Media partners included Inquirer.net, POP, Alike Media, The Manila Times, Manila Standard, Manila Bulletin, BusinessMirror, WhenInManila.com, HueTV, Experience Travel and Living, and Negosentro Media Group.
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