Cover Casa de Emperador houses the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), the first museum dedicated to modern contemporary art in Visayas and Mindanao (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Yes, Metro Manila is brimming with commercial art galleries and museums. But did you know there are lots of galleries in provincial cities also leading our local art scene? Here's a quick rundown of your itinerary

Budding artists dream of mounting their exhibitions in Metro Manila because most of the prolific curators, critics, and collectors are there in the National Capital Region. But in other metropolitan cities situated in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, there are also other esteemed, longstanding commercial galleries and museums, as well as those that have just recently opened. The art communities in the rural areas are enriched by art residency programs, master artist-teachers and National Artists living in recluse. Definitely, the country's art scene is so alive, if not far more exciting, outside the metro.

Here are some galleries and artist spaces to include in your go-to list:

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1. Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s Studio Home and The Second Gallery

The family of National Artist for Visual Arts Carlos "Botong" Francisco has opened their ancestral home in Angono, Rizal, since the 1970s to display some of his intimate works, collections, and memorabilia. It has served as a museum for the late pillar of Philippine modern art, supervised by his grandson Carlos "Totong" Francisco II. The younger Francisco, an artist himself, welcomes artists and enthusiasts to The Second Gallery, which he also uses as his own studio.

Tatler Trivia: Aside from Botong, Angono is also the cradle of another National Artist, Lucio San Pedro. It is teeming with artists and craftsmen, so do also check out the Doña Aurora Street Art Gallery, the museum of the renowned Blanco clan of artists, the artist-run space Giant Dwarf, the relatively new Angkla Art Gallery, the artist family-owned Tiamson Art Gallery, dine at Balaw-Balaw Restaurant which also has an art gallery space, the mystical art house of Nemesio "Nemiranda" R Miranda Jnr, and try to get a glimpse of the National Cultural Treasure Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs, the oldest known pre-historic artwork in the country.

217 Doña Aurora Street, Barangay Poblacion Itaas, Municipality of Angono, Rizal

Read more: Who Was Carlos "Botong" Francisco, National Artist for Visual Arts?

2. Ili-Likha Artists' Watering Hole

This multi-level establishment is frequented by many for the unique dining experience it offers. But beyond that, it is an incredible sight to behold, thanks to the ingenuity of National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik, who is also known as a prolific visual artist with wood as his primary medium. Its colourful rainbow mosaic stairs and sculptures made of recyclable materials, as well as sketches and found objects, highlight the rich art of the contemporary artists from Cordillera. In heading to Ili-Likha, you might get a chance to attend to one of its art workshops and events!

32 Assumption Road, Baguio City, Benguet

Read also: What Does it Mean to be Original? National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik Shares His Thoughts

3. Tam-Awan Village

A bit of a cultural and historical museum complex for its traditional Ifugao nipa huts, this village is famed as a venue for art and cultural activities that open one's mind to the rich culture of the Cordilleran tribes. It usually hosts group exhibitions so expect to see the works of some of the region's revered artists. Behind the creation of this village is National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Cabrera and the Chanum Foundation Inc, which was founded in 1998.

Pinsao Proper, Long Long Benguet Road, Baguio City, Benguet

Read also: National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto "BenCab" Cabrera Aims to Leave a Lasting Legacy

4. Kalye Artisano

There are many other forms of art to be celebrated in the country, especially with Filipinos having the distinction of being creative and proud of their culture and heritage. Hence Asia's Most Influential 2021 Honouree Paloma Urquijo Zobel founded Kalye Artisano a few years back as an artist village inside Ayala Land's Lio Tourism Estate in El Nido, Palawan. Being an artisanal retail hub, it offers "local artists and businesses a space in the heart of the first eco-sustainable tourism development in the Philippines". Experience music, dance, wellness programs, arts and crafts workshops, and more at Kalye Artisano!

Lio Tourism Estate, Municipality of El Nido, Palawan

Read also: Paloma Urquijo Zobel Talks About Promoting Filipino Culture on Tatler's January 2021 Cover

5. Gallery Ninety

Founded by Marbee and Berg Go, this newly opened gallery at the heart of the famed City of Pines aims to enrich the city's vibrant arts and culture scene. Its name was inspired by their architecture friend's firm, Aris Go's 90 Design Studio. So far, it has exhibited Sagada and Baguio ceramic artists, the industrial pieces made by architect Dulthe Munar, and esteemed master printmaker Pandy Aviado's retrospective prints curated by their friends and mentors Mara Pardo de Tavera and Jacinto Ramos.

30 Claro M Recto Street, Baguio City, Benguet

Read more: The Art Scene Has a New Corner in Baguio Called Gallery Ninety

6. Mugna Gallery

Derived from the Visayan word for "create", Mugna Art Gallery is "an innovative hub dedicated to bringing out the riches of local culture that defy common perception". Founded by Vincent Lopez and George Kuhn, this gallery in Negros Oriental has been the Negros Oriental's stalwart for the arts of various genres. It supports both rising artists as well as the undiscovered ones, giving them a platform for their unique artistic identities.

Unit 1 Uypitching Bldg. Bong-ao, Municipality of Valencia, Negros Oriental

7. Orange Project

The rich heritage of Bacolod has been elevated further by Orange Project, a reputable gallery in the city, as it focuses on contemporary art. Founded by renowned visual artist Charlie Co and businessman-artist Victor Benjamin Lopue III in 2005, the gallery has since been dedicated to giving artists with high potential a safe space to explore, collaborate, and exhibit their art. It has been the go-to place of art enthusiasts for visual art exhibitions spanning a large diversity of media, including wall work, sculpture, multi-media installation, performance art, conceptual art, textile art, political art and other forms of creative expression.

Art District, Lopue's Annex Building, Lacson Street, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

Read also: Linangan Art Residency: Sharpening Talents and Shaping a Community

8. Museo de Oro

Predating the National Museum of Anthropology in Metro Manila, Museo de Oro at Xavier University is dubbed the country's first folkloric museum. For over fifty years, the so-called "Museum of the South" of the erstwhile Ateneo de Cagayan University has been Mindanao's haven of historical and archaeological items as well as antiquities and artworks that showcase the region's traditions and folklore. It has three major collections: the Ethnohistory of Northern Mindanao, the Ethnology of Mindanao, and Fr Francisco Demetrio SJ Gallery.

Xavier University, 73 Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental

Read also: Nanette Medved-Po Shares Generation HOPE's Progress and Impact to Education and Beyond

9. Art Portal Gallery for Contemporary Art

Established by Alfred Galvez, this gallery has been the platform for Davao's thriving art scene. Alongside exhibitions, it also initiates artist exchanges, workshops, and the like.

115 Pelayo Street, Poblacion District, Davao City, Davao del Sur

Read also: What to Do When You Only Have 36 Hours in Davao

10. Gallery 2600

Tatler Asia
Above (Photo: Baguio Tourism / Facebook)

Baguio's contemporary art gallery, Gallery 2600, participated in the 2022 Art Fair Philippines with its landmark exhibition "Alimuom". The gallery, located at the Baguio Convention Centre, has been a cultural hub for local and international art festivals, as well as a witness to Baguio artists' "public engagement in socially-mediated art".

Baguio Convention Centre Grounds, Baguio City, Benguet

Watch this space for our special story about the Ortigas Foundation Library's exhibition titled "People and Places: A Cordillera Legacy", held last May to July 2022 at the St Mary's School of Sagada, which is now being seen at Gallery 2600

Read also: The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Malu Gamboa's Guide to Baguio

11. Gallery Down South

This art gallery in Davao is a space that mentors talents in the contemporary arts by also taking pride in their Mindanaoan roots. Founded by Rey Mudjahid "Kublai" Millan, it exhibits the artist's masterpieces as well as features artists he has mentored throughout the years, all making waves in the thriving art scene of Davao.

Balai Kublai, Davao City, Davao del Sur

Read also: The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Chris Pamintuan's Guide to Davao

12. Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art

As the first museum in Visayas and Mindanao to focus on modern and contemporary art, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) in the Megaworld-owned Casa de Emperador houses the masterpieces of esteemed Ilonggo visual artists. Spanning 3,000 square metres of floor space, the ILOMOCA has five exhibition halls on its three floors. Alongside rotating exhibitions, it takes care of the works of Rock Drilon, Charlie Co, Nelfa Querubin, and international artists like Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró.

Casa de Emperador Festive Walk Parade, Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Iloilo

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13. ANA Art Central

This is the art gallery and home studio of the Association of Negros Artists (ANA), a leading figure in the vibrant art scene of Bacolod. With their aim to make an "Instagrammable Bacolod", ANA also paints murals and mounts exhibitions in various spots across the city. Nevertheless, a visit to Art Central gives art lovers a chance to dine with Negrense artists, discuss their processes, and see them in action.

Food Central Compound, Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

Read also: Art Fair PH 2022's Regional Focus Expands the Lens of Filipino Artistry

14. Museum of Three Cultures

In Cagayan de Oro, another museum leads its arts and culture scene. That is Capitol University's very own Museum of Three Cultures which takes pride in the tangible and intangible treasures of the three dominant cultures of Northern Mindanao. Featuring significant artefacts of the lowland migrants, the indigenous peoples, and the Muslim Maranaos, the museum "envisions educating the public to understand and appreciate the diversity of culture and arts".

Capitol University, Corrales Extension, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental

15. Qube Gallery

Founded in 2013 and managed together by Maris Holopainen and Pia Mercado, Qube Gallery is one of the prominent art galleries in Cebu and well-known nationally. It holds physical and online exhibitions and supports a "roster of emerging, mid-career, and established artists. . .align[ed] with the gallery's aesthetic vision". Its primary aim is to promote Filipino artists internationally. Qube is a member gallery of Artsy, the world's largest and premier online art marketplace. Since the gallery's founding, it has participated in international art fairs like Art Kaoshiung and Art Tainan in Taiwan, Tokyo International Art Fair in Japan, Art Apart in Singapore, and Art Central in Hong Kong.

Cross Roads, Governor M Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu

Read also: The Culinary Capitals of the Philippines: Chef Tatung Sarthou's Guide to Cebu

16. Pugad ni Art Studio

This community of artists in Baguio is open to all creative individuals and enthusiasts as it functions as an art gallery, studio, and café. It holds weekly creative activities, art exhibitions, and other offerings that make it a safe space and relaxation spot for all artists amid the idyllic atmosphere and environs of Baguio City.

Piraso Road, Baguio City, Benguet

17. Victor Oteyza Community Art Space

Another art gallery-cum-café in the City of Pines is Victor Oteyza Community Art Space (VOCAS), which has been one of the most frequented spots in the city. Not only does it offer healthy vegetarian food at OMG Café, but it also has an ambience that takes pride in its Cordilleran heritage. Inside are dining areas with a remnant of a boat as its centrepiece, an open-air theatre stage for concerts and performances, a koi pond at the centre of the art space, and breathtaking overlooking views of the city. Built also by Kidlat Tahimik, it pays tribute to his uncle Victor Oteyza, one of the Thirteen Artists that pioneered Philippine Modern art.

5th Floor, La Azotea Building, 108 Session Road, Baguio City, Benguet

18. Museo Ning Angeles

Privately owned by the non-profit organisation Kuliat Foundation, this museum takes pride in the rich artistic heritage of the Kapampangans. With the province being home to Patis Tesoro, an indomitable figure in Philippine fashion, the museum houses some of her exquisite designs. Kapampangan cuisine also takes the spotlight in the museum with its Culinarium section. The heritage structure where it is located was declared an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum in 2012 as its site used to be the court house of Angeles, Pampanga, during the Spanish Colonial Era and later became a town hall after it was rebuilt after the 1860 fire.

Other than Museo ning Angeles, there are also a number of smaller galleries to see in Pampanga, as well as heritage structures and churches, as it is one of the cradles of Philippine art.

Heritage District, Santo Rosario Street, Angeles City, Pampanga

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19. Stuart Gallery

As Bulacan's art market grows due to the steady increase of artists rising from the province and established artists choosing to reside there, Stuart Gallery opened to be the art community's landmark. Aside from "bridging genres and promoting collaborations" among contemporary artists, Stuart Gallery also respects Bulacan's history and continues its rich culture and heritage.

2nd Floor 6381 BE, MacArthur Highway, Malolos City, Bulacan

20. Dramus Art Gallery

Tatler Asia
Above (Photo: Leopoldo Aguilar Jnr)

From the usual modern and contemporary art galleries and museums that showcase heritage and culture, Dramus Art Gallery can be a sight for sore eyes. Starting in 1996, originally as Community Art Gallery and "Drawing Museum" (hence its new name), Dramus Art Gallery is the home of the neo-tribalism movement in Philippine art. Founded by Leopoldo Aguilar, the art group and gallery caters to all forms of art, provides free art workshops, and has done mural paintings with esteemed institutions like NCCA, CCP, Nippon Paints, to name a few. It is known for holding performance art paintings and outdoor exhibitions featuring tribal art infused with Western techniques. This is mainly because Aguilar earned a fine arts certificate from the University of the Philippines Cebu and was a Jose Joya awardee, pioneering a new take on promoting a region's artistic heritage.

Indiana Townsquare, Pajac Proper, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu

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