Applications are now being accepted to the 2015 J. Elizalde Navarro (JEN) National Workshop on Critical and Cultural Heritage Studies, organized by the Varsitarian of the University of Santo Tomas with the Subcommission on Cultural Heritage of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Deadline has been extended from May 22 to May 29.
Open to critics and culture writers and scholars, the competitive program is offering 12 fellowships. The workshop will be held in Baguio City, June 28-July 4. This year, papers to be submitted should tackle issues revolving around cultural heritage.
On Oct. 15, 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake shook Bohol and was felt throughout the Visayas. Several centuries-old churches and other important cultural property were either partially or completely destroyed. The following month Supertyphoon “Yolanda” swept through the Visayas, destroying the ancient Guian church in Samar and other heritage buildings.
Manmade devastation is also evident with the destruction of heritage buildings, monuments, and sites in favor of high-rise condominiums and commercial developments.
Equally alarming is the neglect of historical sites, cultural archives, sacred and liturgical art, architecture and music, and traditions such as epic poetry, ethnic music and folk or community dance.
Applicant should submit a critical/scholarly essay (3,000 words, double-space, 12-point font) on any of the topics above. Manuscript should be in MS Word format.
Aside from the manuscript, applicant should submit an updated résumé with an ID photo and a certification that the work is original—to gary.devilles@gmail.com on or before May 29. Inquiries should be directed to the same e-mail address.
Initiated in 2009 by the UST Varsitarian, JEN is the longest-running workshop of its kind on arts criticism and cultural studies. It is named after National Artist for the Visual Arts and art critic J. Elizalde Navarro, who was art editor of the Varsitarian during his college days.