Supporting artists is a lifelong commitment to advocating for their creative freedom, financial stability, and visibility. It means ensuring they have space to create without commercial pressures and fair compensation for their work. Amplifying underrepresented voices and breaking down barriers for all artists is crucial.
Long-term relationships, mentorship, and consistent encouragement help sustain their careers. Advocating for public funding and preserving their legacies ensures their impact lasts. Ultimately, supporting artists is about creating a culture where art is valued and artists are empowered to thrive.
For the past 25 years, the Asian Cultural Council Philippines Foundation (ACC Philippines) has been true to its commitment to nurturing Filipino artists and fostering cultural exchange.
“For the past 25 years, we have championed the advancement of Filipino artists and their craft, alongside a community of like-minded individuals who believe in the transformative power of the arts,” said ACC chairman Ernest L. Escaler.
Since 1963, ACC has supported Filipino artists through grants for cultural exchange in the United States and Asia. Committed to fostering artistic growth, ACC continues to raise funds to provide financial assistance and opportunities for artists and scholars.
One of its key fundraising initiatives is the Asian Cultural Council Auction, set for Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m. at León Gallery. Proceeds benefit the ACC Philippine Fellowship Program, which allows artists to engage in apprenticeships, research, international collaborations, and mentorships abroad.
“For the past 25 years, we have championed the advancement of Filipino artists and their craft,” said Escaler.
Nearly 300 Filipino artists have received ACC fellowship grants, including National Artists Jose Joya, Lucresia Kasilag, Lamberto Avellana, Alejandro Roces, Francisco Feliciano, Jose Maceda, Kidlat Tahimik, Ramon Santos, and Alice Reyes.
This year, nine Filipino artists and art specialists join the program. Among them, Maria Patricia Bernas pursues a master’s in Dance Movement Therapy at Sarah Lawrence College, while Aina Ramolete, granddaughter of National Artist Amelia Lapena-Bonifacio, studies Puppet Arts at the University of Connecticut. Padmapani Perez conducts research in India, Archie Oclos in Coney Island, and Sir Anril Tiatco trains in New York. John Alexis Balaguer focuses on exhibition writing and art criticism, while Peter John Natividad recently completed research in Japan on museum conservation techniques. Toni Go and Joshua Lim So will leave for their New York fellowship in July.
For the past decade, ACC Philippines has partnered with León Gallery to host its annual auction, raising funds to support Filipino artists in expanding their creative horizons.
“The past ten years have been fruitful; collaborating with ACC in its mission to provide Filipino artists opportunities abroad has always been our utmost privilege,” said León Gallery director Jaime Ponce de León.
This year’s auction highlights works from ACC grantees, including Jose Joya’s Evening in Shanghai, a symbol of Philippine-Chinese friendship, Roberto Chabet’s 1978 work from the Pillow Series, and Riel Hilario’s mixed-media piece. It also features pieces by Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Vicente Manansala, Fernando Zóbel, Juan Luna, H.R. Ocampo, Ang Kiukok, and Elmer Borlongan.
Two masterpieces from the collection of Arthur and Julie Hill—H.R. Ocampo’s A Song for Summer and Ang Kiukok’s Mother and Child—will be auctioned to support underprivileged UPCAT passers who lack financial means to study on campus.
The ACC Auction takes place on Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Streets, Makati City, with a preview from Feb. 15 to 21, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For inquiries, contact info@leon-gallery.com or +632 8856-2781. Browse the catalog at www.leon-gallery.com, and learn more about ACC at www.asianculturalcouncil.org.