TARLAC CITY – Some 400 artists, 800 crochet makers and weavers and 14 exhibitors are set to converge at the Bulwagang KanLahi, Diwa ng Tarlac here on Oct. 10-18 for Art Luzon 2026.
The art initiative, presented in a recent press conference by artist, businesswoman and Tarlac First Lady Melissa Yeung-Yap, Art Luzon Creative Director Jared Yokte and Tarlac Provincial Tourism Officer Cherrylyn Pacua is supported by the Provincial Government of Tarlac headed by Gov. Christian Tell Yap.
Evolving from the Tarlac Art Fair that featured local artists, to the Central Luzon Art Fair featuring Region III talents, then to the Luzon Art Fair that was participated in by artists coming from all over Luzon, Art Luzon has grown into a broader contemporary visual arts platform showcasing artists and artistic practices from Luzon and beyond.
Yeung-Yap said that former governor, now Tarlac City Mayor Susan Yap, opened Diwa ng Tarlac to artist organizations free of charge after the pandemic.
“From five art organizations back then, we now accommodate around 200 plus,” she said, noting that the initiative has continued to expand, providing a venue for artists to connect, exhibit and engage with wider audiences.
This year, Art Luzon carries the theme “Across Regions,” highlighting the movement of ideas, artistic practices and cultural knowledge across geographical, cultural and disciplinary boundaries.
Among the highlights of the art fair is the Bamboo Public Art Program at Maria Cristina Park, developed with the Kawayan Collective, which uses bamboo to connect traditional craft, local knowledge and contemporary artistic expression.
Yokte, also a consultant for the Tarlac Tourism Office and an artist, said Art Luzon is expected to draw exhibitors, galleries, collectives and artists from different parts of the country.
He also made mention of Tarlac’s strong support for the arts, saying, “Ewan ko kung meron province na ganito mag-support (sa mga artists) like Tarlac.”
Art Luzon will likewise pursue an international exchange program with Nakanodojinade in Japan, which will bring Hapanese contemporary artists to Tarlac and may eventually open opportunities for Tarlac artists to exhibit their artworks in Japan. Arvin F. M. Cabalu/ Tarlac PIO
