This initiative is headed and by a female visual artist, Melissa Yeung-Yap
Photos courtesy of Breih Pascua
For the longest time, the landlocked province of Tarlac has been known for its vast sugar and rice plantations. But these days, the local government unit with the help of now Tarlac-based artist Melissa Yeung-Yap are putting the province in the local art scene map.
In an exclusive interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle during the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)’s Lakbay Norte event, Melissa who’s also the CEO of Greenstone Pharma, shares this journey of the province of Tarlac toward empowering its local art industry.
According to Melissa, the works of Tarlaqueños inspired her to volunteer by launching art programs for the province. Currently, the LGU is hosting a national art competition while simultaneously holding art exhibits featuring the works of artists from Tarlac.
"The Provincial Government of Tarlac is very much keen on supporting our local artists, especially since our current governor, Gov. Susan Yap, is an art enthusiast and an avid art collector. There’s a yearly KANLAHI Festival that showcases the artistic strengths of Tarlaqueños—from performance arts like singing, dancing, float making, bamboo crafts competition, and the annual Tarlac National Painting Competition,” Melissa says. “My first project with the support of the Provincial Government of Tarlac, was the Tarlac Art Fair. I was a participating artist at the ManilArt Fair last year and I wanted to extend the opportunity to other artists here in Tarlac. Thankfully, we were allowed to use the Diwa ng Tarlac, a newly-renovated, majestic structure, to house the art show. It was very well received and has opened doors for more municipalities and art groups in Tarlac to mount exhibits at Diwa.”
But the 37-year-old artist admits that despite having the support of the provincial government, encouraging the artists to participate has been a challenge.
“The Tarlac Art fair was pretty smooth sailing because the artists who participated were very professional, and the works really wowed the audience,” Melissa continues. “However, I noticed that only three artists from the municipality of Victoria joined. The next challenge was to look for more artists in Victoria and eventually in other municipalities. Together with the other artists who are also volunteered, we searched for more artists, conducted art talks and workshops, and got to mount the first Victoria Tarlac Art Fair with 26 participating artists.”
This initiatives didn’t only boost the confidence of the local artists but also helps the tourism sector of the province. Depending on the alert level, the shows in Diwa ng Tarlac are accommodating up to 400 visitors daily. Also, the venue is now fully booked for the whole year of 2022 where different art shows are scheduled to take place.
“Other artists have met new collectors and patrons who purchased their work. I've also got several calls from curators and gallery owners who opened their doors for Tarlaqueños to exhibit in,” she says. “Artists from nearby provinces such as Pangasinan, Pampanga, and Bulacan also messaged me to say that they got inspired with what Tarlac has done to promote the local art scene. Another good thing that came out was the empowerment of local art groups to organize themselves and mount their own exhibits.”
Knowing that the art industry is not the only field that is hit by the pandemic, Melissa also opens the Diwa ng Tarlac as a venue where events and wedding organizers mount their own shows and exhibits. Giving them opportunity to bounce back.
“The events business was also massively affected by the pandemic,” she explains. “Another event that's happening at Diwa is the first Tarlac Bridal & Events Fair, where the different event suppliers are given the stage to showcase their crafts–cake makers, hair and make-up artists, event stylists, photographers, fashion designers, and caterers.”
For those who want to visit and support this initiative, traveling to Tarlac is now easy and hassle free because of the NLEX. For only two hours from Metro Manila, tourists can enjoy all the things this beautiful province has to offer.
Meanwhile, for artists who want to be part of Tarlac's programs, reach out to Melissa through the Tarlac Art Fair Facebook page or by sending her an email at [email protected].
“For the artists, just keep creating, look for ways to be inspired and to inspire, and just keep honing and developing your talents,” Melissa ads. “Art is essential for self-expression and healing during these challenging times. There's also money in art but artists need to find the courage to show their works, be open to constructive criticism and be super professional in their dealings in order to have longevity in this field.”