Manila Bulletin’s Sketchfest 2024 with the theme “ALAMAT: Mythical Stories and Legends, judges visual artists Auggie Fontanilla, Wesley Valenzuela, and National Museum of the Philippines Director Arvin Manuel Villalon look at various artworks under the Exhibition and Digital Category on Sunday, October 20, 2024 in SM MOA in Pasay City. (Photos by Santi San Juan)
A total of 359 artists joined the Manila Bulletin Sketchfest 2024 held at the Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City on Sunday, October 20.
Leslie Leshen Araujo, Manila Bulletin’s brand manager, said this year’s iteration of MB Sketchfest carried the theme “Alamat: Mythical stories and legends of the Philippines” which aims to highlight Filipino artistry.
Araujo said the Sketchfest, now in its 13th year, started in 2011 with 200 participating artists who were eager to express their creativity in a single venue.
He said the event transformed into a nationwide celebration in uniting amateur sketch enthusiasts and seasoned professional artists from all over the country.
Participants to the Sketchfest registered online while walk-in artists from Cavite and Quezon City and from universities and campuses were also welcomed.
Araujo said there are three categories: on-the -spot, digital, and exhibition.
Winners in the on-the-spot category will receive P30,000 (first place); P20,000 (2nd place), and P10,000 (3rd place) for senior participants. For the junior participants, the prizes will be P15,000 (1st place), P10,000 (2nd place), and P5,000 (3rd place). For kiddies, the prizes range from P5,000 to P2,000.
For the digital category, the 1st place winner will receive P30,000; P20,000 for the second place, P10,000 for the third place, while seven will receive P2,000 each as consolation prize.
For the exhibition category, the 1st place winner will receive P50,000, P30,000 for the second place, and P20,000 for the 3rd place winner. A total of 17 winners will receive P2,000 as consolation prize.
Araujo also said that Air Asia will choose one winner of two roundtrip tickets to any domestic destination.
One of the artists who won 2nd place in the 2023 Sketchfest competition, Christopher Boreto, who is from Albay, Bicol, shared his experience in joining the competition.
The young boy’s mother, Loveryn, said they are saving Christopher’s prizes in joining art exhibits for his future.
She added that his son started to draw when he was three-years-old and his talent was developed by watching YouTube tutorials.
Christopher, who is now in Grade 10, plans to take up a Fine Arts course either at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila or in Legazpi Albay.
Christopher’s sibling, Chelssy, also joined yesterday’s Sketchfest.