Baguio City is poised and already geared up to host the fourth (4th) edition of the highly anticipated Ibagiw Creative Festival. The theme for this year’s celebration, which would last for the whole month of November 2021, is “Create. Integrate. Elevate.”
The Ibagiw Festival was created by the Department of Tourism to showcase and promote the ever-beautiful treasured traditions and art culture of Baguio City. The festival aims to highlight the particularly rich and vibrant cultural history of the Summer Capital of the Philippines, showing the world a glimpse of why the UNESCO World Heritage considered Baguio as a Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts.
This year’s theme focuses on three powerful phrases that perfectly embody a progressive tone that aims to inspire and motivate the people of Baguio City amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Ibagiw Festival 2021 wants everyone to discover and build (Create), to unite and come together as one (Integrate), and to keep on moving forward and rising above every difficult situation given to us (Elevate).
The highly-anticipated month-long celebration of Baguio City’s Ibagiw Festival kicks off on November 12, 2021, at the Baguio Convention Center. With its massive significance to the city’s reputation in art and culture, expect the opening ceremonies of the festival to exceed high expectations. Featuring a fascinating narrative about Baguio City’s foundation starting with artistic and cultural rituals which eventually progress to the modern Ibagiw arts and crafts that we’re familiar with today, there’s no doubt that Ibagiw Festival 2021 will certainly impress.
Furthermore, the opening will be followed by a series of art exhibitions featuring the city’s diverse cultural and artistic heritage. These will place hidden gems of art in the spotlight which then paves the way for local artisans to showcase their world-class creativity in almost every aspect of arts and crafts.
Numerous art exhibitions and craft demonstrations by talented local artisans will simultaneously take place all around the city starting from October 14 to November 30, 2021.
The Ibagiw Festival 2021 not only wants to encourage people to appreciate and promote Baguio’s artistic culture but also to boost their confidence and morale towards life after the pandemic. We were all heavily affected by the crisis, forced to disconnect from society and just spectate over everything that’s happening from the comfort of our own homes and the screens of our smartphones. Our life since the onset of the pandemic revolved around things such as temperature scanners, face masks, face shields, and most especially, QR codes. The latter is beautifully brought to life by the renowned solo visual artist recognized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Olie Olivete.
There will also be a series of short documentaries featuring the beautiful collections of Museo Kordilyera and reconnecting us with the talented local artisans of Baguio City. An exhibit entitled: “Agaramid Tayo!” also aims to walk us through the meaning and technology of different aspects of art and culture such as basketry, metal crafts, tattooing, weaving, and wood carving. If you’re interested to know more about the exhibit, click this link!
On top of all these early art exhibitions and visual documentaries showcasing the rich and vibrant art culture of Baguio City, there will also be tons of other exciting activities to make Ibagiw Festival 2021 more special! Cultural shows, trade fairs, forums, and also themed webinars will also be held to ensure that the people and visitors of Baguio City will not only be able to admire its art but also learn a lot more about the city’s incredibly rich and harmonious creativity that thrived within the population.
Most importantly, a whole new perspective of admiring art and culture will be introduced this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The digital execution of Ibagiw Festival 2021 will be carefully handled by strictly following the COVID-19 health and safety protocols all while preserving the essence of the grand festival. This year’s Ibagiw Festival is certainly special not only because it’s a celebration of Baguio City’s undying creativity but also a tribute to everyone’s resilience during the crisis and the new normal. More than showcasing the arts and crafts of Baguio City, what Ibagiw Festival 2021 truly embodies is the unmatched identity of Baguio as a home of cultural heritage and communal unity that confidently shines above all the conflicts and predicaments.
For more information about the highly anticipated event, you may visit the official FB page of Baguio Creative City.
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