dailygaelley

The Philippines is home to some of the most creatively talented people. Most of the time, though, these people choose a different field than what they excel in or have passion for. The reason is usually pinned down to “art is not practical”. There isn’t a market for art in the Philippines because creativity is dismissed as a hobby rather than a skill to earn money with.

Part of the reason why this is so is the fact that our market for art tends to lean towards the “friendly discount” or “exchange deal” culture.

What is the “friendly discount/ exchange deal” culture, you ask?

It’s when you ask your creative graphic designer friend to make you a layout of your project in exchange for merienda. It’s when you ask your writer friend to “help” you with a speech or essay you’re tasked to do… or when you ask them to create a bio on social media because you’re “friends naman tayo, diba?”.  It’s when you ask your recently passed Architect barkada to design your dream home at a discount or no pay at all because you’ve “been through so much together.”

This is the culture that our country has over the creative field… and it needs to stop. In order for this field to flourish, people need to realize that art is valuable. Art is something  marketable. Personally, I love looking at art. I sometimes go out of my way to support local artists and writers because I know that their content and art are parts of themselves they let the world see. I see the beauty in it. I hope the rest of the country could, too.

It’s not astounding that internationally-known Filipino artist Apl De Ap sees the need for the development of the creative industry in the country. In a press conference held last month, he emphasized the need to maximize the potential the Filipino artists have. He, in partnership with Thames International Business School, hopes to transform our local artists into creative entrepreneurs. Together with the British Council, Department of Trade and Industry, Design Center of the Philippines and Philippine Trade and Training Center, they aim to be a catalyst to the creative industry in the Philippines.

The Creative Innovators Programme

The CIP drives the synergy between creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship for social impact. It aims to contribute to more sustainable and impact-led creative hubs that can better support the country’s creative industries. An open call for application of Creative Hub Fellows will run nationally from June 8 to July 8, 2018. 15 Creative Hub Managers will be selected to be part of the fellowship. A scholarship of 40 creative entrepreneurs  funded by the Apl.de.Ap Foundation and Thames International will also be offered through the programme.

Creative Hubs are organizations that provide space and support for networking, professional development, and business sustainability and community engagement within the creative and cultural sectors.

For more details about the Creative Innovators Programme, visit www.britishcouncil.ph !