16
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 7 Number 1 | OCTOBER 2016
Arts and culture hub for Pinoys
A new arts and
culture hub
for FilipinoAustralians is
now open in
Campbelltown
City.
The Sydney-based community
associations NARRA Co-op and
Plaza Filipino officially launched
the new community hub in Australia
dedicated to Filipino art, culture and
innovation last August.
The Philippine-Australian Arts,
Culture and Innovation Central - or
“ACI Central” for short - is open to
the general public as a performance
space, art gallery and networking hub.
Philippine Consulate
General Anna Jalando-on Louis,
Campbelltown City Mayor Paul
Hawker, local MPs and Philippine
music icon Jim Paredes were among
the special guests who attended the
ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“ACI Central is a dream come
true for all NARRA Co-op and Plaza
Filipino officers, members and
supporters who have worked hard
to raise the necessary funds,” said
Jimmy Lopez, NARRA president and
founding president of Plaza Filipino.
Lopez said that ACI Central will
provide a platform for up-and-coming
and established Filipino-Australian
artists, musicians and writers looking
for a space to showcase their work.
Music icon Jim Paredes from
APO Hiking Society lent a hand
to support young musicians and
composers by presenting a short
talk titled “The history of Original
Philippine Music (OPM) and how to
make Filipino music world-class” at
the venue.
“We are very honoured to
have Jim Paredes as our inaugural
presenter at ACI Central. He is a
mentor and inspiration to so many
Filipinos,” Lopez said.
Innovation centre
In keeping with the times, ACI
Central is also an “innovation”
hub, providing a space for FilipinoAustralian technology start-ups and
small business entrepreneurs to meet
and network.
“Besides music and arts, we
believe another way to build a bridge
between the present generation
and future generation of FilipinoAustralians is through technology and
business innovations - it’s another
way ACI Central can be of service
to the community,” said Michelle
Baltazar, president of Plaza Filipino.
The property is on the ground
floor of a mixed residential and
commercial building on 3-9
Warby Street in Campbelltown.
The performance space/art gallery
accommodates up to 70 guests
at any one time and there are two
workspaces available for lease once it
is fully operational.
“ We will continue to do
fundraising events so that our local
artists and performers can use our
performance space/art gallery at
a heavily subsidised cost or for
free. Ultimately, we hope to get
government grants and sponsorships
so we can help our local talents grow
and hone their craft at ACI Central,”
said Lopez.
Founded in 2013, the National
Affiliation of Respectable and
Responsible Associations (NARRA)
Co-operative Ltd was formed to
appeal to Filipino-Australians who
wanted to raise funds to build a
community centre under a co-op
structure. Through its successful
fundraising events such as the
Ambassador of the Year and the
annual Tribute to Mothers and
Fathers, as well as its membership
drive, NARRA raised more than
$104,000.
Meanwhile, community
association Plaza Filipino, founded
10 years earlier (2003), also had
funds of approximately $30,000 and
shared the common goal of building a
community centre.
Partnership
Early this year, both associations
discussed ways to realise their mutual
objective and, after exploring several
other options, decided to purchase the
ACI Central property for $189,000
plus costs, with Plaza Filipino as the
naming rights donor of $30,000.
“By purchasing a modestly sized
property and joining forces with Plaza
Filipino, we were able to save our
members tens of thousands of dollars
in interest costs,” said Lopez.
To date, Lopez said that they only
need to fundraise at least $100,000
within the next 12 months and the
property will be fully-paid.
“We’ve already had pledges from
new members of at least $60,000,
which means we’re that much closer
to reaching our target,” he said.
Daisy Ann Gonzalez Cumming
and Manny Roux, both past
presidents of Plaza Filipino, were
among the group of association
members who inspected the new
‘ACI Central’ premises early in July.
They suggested a fundraising and
membership drive at the August 6
opening for the outstanding payment
of the property.
“This is a legacy we can all be
proud of. A platform for our present
and new crop of talented artists,
musicians, writers and innovators to
shine,” said Cumming.
Besides Lopez, Roux and
Cumming, past presidents of Plaza
Filipino who have been part of the
fundraising campaign since 2003
were Violeta Miguel, Rey Morcilla,
Rise Roux and Elizabeth Escandor.
At NARRA, among the major
individual fundraisers in the past
three years include Brenda De La
Sala, Es ter Arador, Carmenchu
Gresham, Rey Morcilla and Dr. Raul
Amor.
For more information on the new
culture, arts and innovation hub,
contact Albert Prias, Public Relations
Officer on 0402 533 587 or Jimmy
Lopez, NARRA President, on 0478
540 889. PHOTOS:BOB REYES.
“ACI Central is a dream come true for
all NARRA Co-op and Plaza Filipino
officers, members and supporters
who have worked hard to raise the
necessary funds.” - Jimmy Lopez