Year 2018 was a “quite extraordinary year” for the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). It produced close to a thousand shows, not only in CCP itself but outside Metro Manila by bringing its resident companies out of the box through performances, networking and broadened activities.
And CCP will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2019.
This was announced by Chris B. Millado, vice president and artistic director of the CCP, in a recent press conference at the CCP’s main theater lobby. Also present was the center’s chair, beauty icon Margie Moran Floirendo.
The event was enlivened by performances from Tanghalang Pilipino, Ballet Philippines and University of the Philippines Los Baños Choral Ensemble.
The anniversary month actually starts in September, with the months from January to July filled with the regular activities of CCP, including the open-house festival Pasinaya, concerts of the Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), Met Opera in HD (Ayala Malls), Virgin Labtest and Cinemalaya, to name a few events.
Nationwide public consultations will be held throughout the year. In September, to open the anniversary activities are video mapping and live performances in front of the center; inauguration of CCP Blackbox Theater (Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez); gala fundraising and anniversary shows; digital time capsule; anniversary publications; national tour of CCP resident companies; architectural and visual arts exhibitions; and performances by renowned international artists and companies.
Arts market
The First Philippine Performing Arts Market will also be held in September. “We need to show off our artists to a wider market,” Millado said. “So we will look for potential buyers. CCP reached an audience of 480,000 in 2018 and we hope to reach a million in 2019.”
The arts market is part of a series of meetings conferences, and forums on partnership for leadership in the arts,” Floirendo said.–CONTRIBUTED
