The City of Baguio is set to hold the fourth edition of the renowned celebration, Ibagiw Creative Festival, with a theme “Create. Integrate. Elevate.” for the whole month of November 2021.
The theme circles on three phrases that embody a progressive tone which aims to inspire and drive the people of Baguio amidst challenging times to discover and build (Create), to unite and come together (Integrate), and to move forward and rise from any difficult situations (Elevate).
The month-long celebration is in line with Baguio’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts, and will kick off on November 12, 2021 at the Baguio Convention Center. The opening ceremony will feature the fascinating narrative that will walk you through the creation of our creative city beginning with artistic rituals progressing to the modern Ibagiw arts we know today.
The opening will be then followed by a series of art exhibitions featuring the city’s vibrant and diverse artistic and cultural heritage, and that will put artistic gems in the spotlight and provide avenues for local artisans to showcase their creativity in various crafts.
Starting October 14 until November 30, various art exhibitions will simultaneously take place. Beginning with an attempt to show life after the onset of the pandemic and how the forced disconnect with society affected our way of life via QR codes, by solo visual artist Olie Olivete, which is also supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
A series of short documentaries featuring the collections of the Museo Kordilyera, and reconnecting it to the local artisans to teach us the meaning, and technology of production: basketry, metal craft, tattooing, weaving and woodcarving will be shown through an exhibit entitled Agaramid Tayo!: Reconnecting Museum Collections to Artisans which will be made available at https://museokordilyera.upb.edu.ph.
Apart from these early art exhibitions, cultural shows, trade fairs, and forums and webinars will also be held to ensure that the people of Baguio and travelers alike will be able to admire and learn more about the harmonious and rich creativity of the city of Baguio.
To be introduced this year is the digital execution of the celebration, all while following COVID-19 prevention protocols and preserving the essence of the festival in this highland paradise. This year’s Ibagiw festival shall be a celebration of creativity and resilience during this new normal. More than showcasing the arts, what the celebration truly embodies is the identity of Baguio as a home to a cultural heritage and communal unity that can confidently shine hope even in the midst of predicaments.
For more information about the event, you may visit the official Baguio Creative City Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BaguioCreativeCity2020/
