Publisher’s Note
CCP, Philippine art and culture
and the changing times
W
hen the Cultural Center of the Phiippines (CCP) opened its
portals on September 8 five decades ago, the magnificently
designed edifice by National Artist Lindy Locsin was perceived
to be a sanctuary of what was the ‘good and the beautiful’ in
Philippine art and culture.
For some, it was a symbol that would showcase the best
of what the Philippines had to offer while envisioned to be
a counterpart of those majestic performing venues abroad
such as the Lincoln Centre of the Performing Arts in New York,
Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Vienna State Opera House or Moscow’s
Bolshoi Theatre where luminaries who performed in those prestigious halls also received top billing and
VIP treatment at CCP during their tour of Manila. Yet there are others saw it as a symbol of extravagance,
of wretched excess used the wrong way and of being so exclusive and too high-brow that it served only
the whims of the so-called ‘cultural elite’ of that era.
But alas, as Bob Dylan would best put it, ‘the times, they are a-changing.’ Drastic socio-political shifts
have taken place during the last few decades alone; this also meant a period of evolution for the CCP to
make art and culture much more accessible to a wider Filipino audience and to up-and-coming artists
who were finally were able to hold court and showcase their works in that very same edifice of magnifi-
cence by the bay.
Art and culture not only has its role to serve the whims of the rich and famous; it also has its responsi-
bility to feed the soul, educate, enlighten and transform the mindsets of the majority and instill a sense
of patriotism though the creative mettle that Filipinos naturally possess. Be it a filmfest that presented
the daring spirit of Filipino indie filmmakers through Cinemalaya, a multi-media series of presentations
that heightened, through the power of art, awareness of mental health issues and advocacy of devising
solutions to this growing dilemma or tributes to the legends of cinema, television and radio who raised
that banner of excellence in their professions as well as their impact on the audiences that made them
who they were during their heydays, the CCP has indeed become a great ground for experimentation in
the art and culture scene that has intensified its vigor, adventurous creativity and above all, eclecticism
and openness in fusing the best of the old and the new that the diverseness of Philippine art and culture
takes pride in.
Let us also put in CCP’s forays into the digital world where art and culture will be much more appreciat-
ed through talkbacks, chats and all the unlimited wonders that interactive platforms have to offer.
So, how will CCP celebrate its Golden Year—in high-flying style, perhaps? Doing it in a much down-to-
earth manner will instead suffice, with its exciting array of events that celebrate with, you’ve guessed it
more precisely, much more eclecticism and openness.
PHILIP O. ORTALEZA
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