TAA: The oldest government award for visual arts

Now on its 18th year of conferment, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) 13 Artists Award is the oldest government recognition for visual artists. Earlier today, the first ever Thirteen Artists Awards (TAA) online press conference was held to formally announce the winners of the CCP’s 13 Artist awardees for 2021.

This year’s selection committee was composed of artists Imelda Cajipe Endaya (13 Artists, 1990), Nona Garcia (13 Artists, 2003), Nap Jamir II (13 Artists, 1974), and Gerry Tan (13 Artists, 1988), with Rica Estrada of the CCP Visual Arts and Museum Division. The jurors went through 88 artist portfolios individually, with the final online deliberations were held as a group.

After rigorous screening, the 13 Artists awardees for 2021 are Allan Balisi, Nice Buenaventura, Gino Bueza, Mars Bugaoan, Rocky Cajigan, Geloy Concepcion, Patrick Cruz, Ian Carlo Jaucian, KoloWn, Czar Kristoff, Lou Lim, Ryan Villamael, and Catherine Sarah Young.

TAA Awardees (Layout by Mark Amaranto)

TAA Awardees (Layout by Mark Amaranto)

The awardees will receive a production grant to produce new work for a group exhibition at the CCP. This year’s exhibition will be curated by Shireen Seno (13 Artists, 2018) and the trophy, which the artists will receive, will be designed by Mac Valdezco (13 Artists, 2006). The TAA awarding ceremony and exhibition will be announced at a later date.

TAA 2021 trophy study by Mac Valdezco

The CCP celebrated fifty years of its founding in 2020, and has named 198 artists as awardees. Its roster boasts one National Artist and four Gawad CCP awardees.

#Shireen Seno

13 new artists for CCP named