Cheyenne Suarez

MaArte Fair 2025 showcases Filipino craftsmanship, cultural heritage

Article (news)

Mon Rodelas

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1752637202148Museum Foundation.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Photo from MaArte Fair&#x27;s Facebook page"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Photo from MaArte Fair&#x27;s Facebook page</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc.’s annual MaArte Fair is back this year with its most exciting and colorful edition yet, themed “Kaalaman, Kultura at Kaartehan.” </p><p>This fair continues to shine a spotlight on Filipino creativity, showcasing heritage crafts, handmade goods, and rich cultural narratives, all while supporting the National Museum’s various programs and initiatives. </p><p>Danny Jacinto, the president of the Museum Foundation, shared that this year’s fair is particularly special, as it features nine cultural grants — the highest number ever — backing projects like the development of native fabrics, a book on the abaca industry, and the creation of a Botong Francisco museum in Angono. </p><p>Gemma Cruz Araneta, the vice president of the Museum Foundation, pointed out how crucial the fair is for raising funds to support the National Museum’s operational and educational activities.</p><p>“The main purpose of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines is to help the National Museum of the Philippines, all the branches of that institution, and their particular needs. Because sometimes they need equipment. Sometimes they need scholarships, grants… and the Museum Foundation gives them the funds that we raise from the MaArte Fair,” Araneta said.</p><p>“When the National Museum wants to publish something or set up an exhibition or send some of their personnel to participate in events abroad, we support them,” she added, highlighting a shift towards project-based grants instead of scholarships for better oversight and more tangible results. </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMIcDWRTiFT/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A1098037.5%2C%22ls%22%3A33036.40000000596%2C%22le%22%3A33045.20000000298%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="865" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>This year’s fair is a delightful blend of familiar exhibitors and fresh talent, showcasing innovative takes on traditional Filipino craftsmanship.</p><p>Carlo Eliserio from Raquel’s Piña Cloth Products showcases modern barong pieces beautifully embroidered with Filipino symbols like the alitaptap, tutubi, and paru-paro, all crafted from handwoven piña sourced from Aklan.</p><p>“This season will be featuring very Filipino icons from our province which are insects and other nostalgic elements from our province,” he shared.</p><p>“Piña is not just an ordinary hand-woven fabric, it&#x27;s the queen of Philippine fabrics and it is UNESCO-inscribed cultural heritage of Tumani,” Eliserio added.</p><p>Angelie Alexie Nethercott of Alexi presents her stunning, handcrafted shoes made in Marikina, featuring unique, hand-embellished designs inspired by her clients and produced in small batches.</p><p>“I personally do all the handmade embellishments, tapos &#x27;yung pinaka sapatos na, &#x27;yung mga sapatero na in Marikina, it&#x27;s all handmade also,” she said.</p><p>Nethercott also hopes to put her pieces in malls in the future but also reiterated that her focus now is more on the improvement of her workshop studio and craftsmanship.</p><p>Meanwhile, Georgina Teng of Artjoy introduces the Lakbay Collection, a captivating jewelry line that draws inspiration from iconic Philippine landmarks, utilizing recycled silver, reclaimed stingray leather, driftwood, and intricate hand-painted details.</p><p>This is her second year joining the MaArte Fair, but she also shared that they started their brand years ago.</p><p>“Actually we started our brand more than a decade ago pero I was working then. So full time po, siguro mga around 10 years,” Teng shared.</p><p>According to Araneta, this is not an easy task for the foundation. However, having the MaArte Fair contributes to the efforts of Filipino entrepreneurs by giving them publicity and the opportunity to sell their goods. She also noted that this can encourage Filipino handicraft makers to set up and persevere in their businesses.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dBlgNPjcpt0?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc.’s annual MaArte Fair is back this year with its most exciting and colorful edition yet, themed “Kaalaman, Kultura at Kaartehan.”</p>

The Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc.’s annual MaArte Fair is back this year with its most exciting and colorful edition yet, themed “Kaalaman, Kultura at Kaartehan.”