CCP Pasinaya unveils lineup for Paseo Museo tour

THOSE who want to immerse themselves in the artistic landscape of Manila and Pasay can join the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Pasinaya 2026 hop-on, hop-off tour Paseo Museo. Slated for Feb. 7 and 8, visitors who register for CCP Pasinaya can take the free shuttle provided by the Museum Foundation of the Philippines at the terminal along Vicente Sotto St. and explore 19 museums and galleries across the two cities. It follows a pay-what-you-can scheme. The participating venues are: Adamson University, the Asian Institute of Maritime History, Bahay Tsinoy, Baluarte de San Diego, Calle Wright, Casa Manila, Centro de Turismo, Museo de Intramuros, GSIS Museo ng Sining, the Manila Clock Tower Museum, Museo Pambata, Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, the National Museum’s Anthropology, Fine Arts, and Natural History complexes, the NCCA Gallery, PWU-SFAD’s Jose Conrado Benitez Gallery, and UP Manila’s Museum of a History of Ideas. Tours start at 9 a.m., with the last trip at 4 p.m.

Luneta Art Fair showcases art for free

THE Luneta Art Fair, a large-scale showcase of traditional and non-traditional artworks from up-and-coming artists, collectives, creative spaces, art schools, and galleries from Metro Manila and beyond, is taking place on Feb. 7 and 8. Located at Rizal Park, the event is free to the public. For this year’s edition, there is a spotlight on seven artists: Gelo Andres, Ululay, Kulas Jalea, Patrick Kent Oaferina, Jirah Millano-Perea, Joveneil De Guzman, and Pipesman. Over at Papakape Luneta, there will also be an indie film showcase held in the afternoon of both days, featuring films from CIIT students and Awkward Penguin filmmakers James Robin Mayo and Thop Nazareno.

Zimmermann, art students collaborate on mural

IN THE WEEKS leading up to Painting Rules, an exhibition by German artist Peter Zimmermann — which runs at The Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M) in Bonifacio Global City from Feb. 4 to April 30 — he was transforming the white walls of the museum into a sticker mural with the help of student volunteers. Installed through a precise and carefully projected pattern, the artwork was built with the help of 10 art students, chosen from over 100 applicants from schools such as the University of the Philippines Diliman, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, University of San Tomas, Arellano University, University of San Carlos, and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. It has taken two weeks to install the work which uses stickers that relate to the country’s social climate.

National Arts Month activities kick off

THE National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has kicked off National Arts Month (NAM) 2026, with the theme “Ani ng Sining: Katotohanan at Giting.” The Luzon leg will be held in Los Baños, Laguna, from Feb. 18 to 20, in partnership with ARTIST, Inc., and will include art workshops and discussions and a theater performance. In the Visayas, the town of Palo, Leyte began its Climate Justice Symposium in January, which concludes with a celebration on Feb. 18. Mindanao has two locations for their month-long activities: Butuan City, with the Butuanon theater production Bagani Hong Lawod, visual arts showcase POSITIVITY 6, performances by various dance companies, and a film screening; and Davao City, with a program highlighting the region’s choreographers, visual artists, filmmakers, and a Special Program for the Arts teachers and students, culminating in a multimedia performance. In Metro Manila, ART FriDates will take place on all Fridays of February at the Blackbox Theater, Likhang Pilipino Complex, CITEM, and World Trade Center in Pasay. Six local and provincial government units — Angono, Rizal, on Feb. 6; Bulacan on Feb. 13; Biñan, Laguna, on Feb. 20; Quezon on Feb. 27; and Muntinlupa on March 6 will join. Admission is free, with open house starting at 2 p.m. and performances at 4 p.m.

Gotuaco, People Power at BenCab Museum

TO CELEBRATE the BenCab Museum’s 17^th year, two exhibitions are on view at its Indigo and Sepia Galleries this February. There’s Isabelle Gotuaco’s The Living Road, which uses the language of painting to convey aloneness and offer company to viewers at Gallery Indigo. Over at Gallery Sepia, the 40^th anniversary of the EDSA revolution will be commemorated with The Spirit of People Power, which gathers artworks surrounding the monumental event. Both exhibits run from Feb. 14 to March 29 at BenCab Museum, located on Km. 6 Asin Road, Tuba, Metro Baguio.

Brickman Wonders of the World extends Manila run

GMG PRODUCTIONS has announced that the Manila leg of the global tour of the exhibition Brickman Wonders of the World will be extended until March 8 at The Space at Solaire. It features over 45 iconic landmarks from across the globe, all brought to life in LEGO brick form. Visitors can walk through recreations of famous sites such as the Taj Mahal, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Arc de Triomphe, and many more. Tickets are available exclusively on TicketWorld.

MCAD offers travel grants to Filipino artists

THE Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) has opened the first cycle of the MCAD Travel Bursary for 2026. Established in 2025, the initiative seeks to facilitate linkages and active collaborations among MCAD, artists, institutions, organizations, and donors who support the works and projects of local creators. The grant is open to Filipino citizens based in the Philippines who have been invited and need supplemental aid to travel and participate in national, regional, or international residencies, art festivals, or large-scale exhibitions. The 2026 iteration will cover events and activities for the period of March to August 2026. Application is open until Feb. 28. For more information, visitfacebook.com/MCADManila.

VLF 2027 calls for submission of scripts

THE Virgin Labfest (VLF) is now accepting submissions of unpublished, unstaged, untried, and untested one-act plays for its 22^nd edition next year. The deadline is Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m., with submissions to be sent to thewritersblocinc@gmail.com. Only scripts written by Filipino citizens will be entertained, with a running time of 40 minutes, which amounts to 25 to 35 pages. Twelve new plays will be selected from the submissions. The announcement of the selected pieces will be made after the closing night of VLF 21 in June. The final selection will be staged at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theater) in 2027. For details, visit the social media pages of The Virgin Labfest and The Writer’s Bloc.

Theatre Group Asia announces 2026-2027 season

THEATRE GROUP ASIA (TGA) has unveiled its 2026-27 season theatrical lineup, featuring three globally celebrated works, all of which are set to be staged in the Philippines for the first time. Opening the season in September is The Notebook: The Musical, which makes its international premiere in Manila. In February 2027, TGA will present the Philippine premiere of Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba, a Filipino-language staging of Federico García Lorca’s final and most powerful play. Concluding the season in June 2027 is Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Sunday in the Park with George.