The traditional fair in the park beloved by admirers of art continues on Sunday, March 23, 2025

Last year, Art in the Park welcomed about 15,000 attendees in a single day. In 2023, at the first post-pandemic edition, the fair reached almost 17,000 visitors. 

The upcoming 2025 edition of Art in the Park seems poised to follow the previous iterations’ successful steps. Running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on March 23, 2025 at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City, this year will feature 61 exhibitors. The exhibitors will range from galleries, collectives, and independent art spaces with a P70,000 price cap on all artworks, and many pieces available for much less.

Art in the Park also started it all for Philippine Art Events, Inc.—the seed that grew into the massive production that is Art Fair Philippines today.

From humble beginnings as an offshoot of the Salcedo Market, Art in the Park has expanded its treasure trove over the years. It’s become something of a tradition that zealous collectors arrive at the gates first thing in the morning, waiting with bated breath for the gates to open, eager to hunt for that creative buy to add to their collection. 

Collecting also meets a cause at every Art in the Park, with proceeds of the fair going to benefit the Museum Foundation of the Philippines’ projects and programs, many of which are for educational purposes.

There have been so many special moments in the fair. Co-founder Trickie Lopa reminisces about the first time she encountered Rodel Tapaya during the inaugural Art in the Park 19 years ago. She also noted how in the second year of Art in the Park, Mark Justiniani submitted his first work after living in the US.

I remember in 2019, collectors literally raced to buy works by Zean Cabangis, who was one of the special artists featured that year. It’s safe to assume that the majority of the artists from the Ateneo Art Awards roster have also exhibited at Art in the Park.

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How Art in the Park democratized PH art

While Art in the Park has become a household name today, there was a time when Filipinos were intimidated by art and everything related to it. This is reflected in the prices of paintings and other media when creative capital was sold for cheap and galleries struggled to stay afloat. 

“We tried to break down the white walls of the gallery to make it less intimidating and friendly… Nowadays, we take it for granted, but people were intimidated to go to the gallery,” recalls co-founder Lisa Periquet.

Lopa, describing how Art in the Park was set up to intentionally make art less intimidating, continues: “Art in the Park has been a tradition for collectors who are just starting out, and to know what you can afford.” 

“For artists, it’s a way to experiment if you know you want to try something new or different with your practice. You won’t be judged in a formal exhibition. You’re submitting work and hoping that it resonates with somebody.”

The special exhibits of Art in the Park 2025

Every year, the Art in the Park organizers carefully select Filipino artists to showcase in special exhibitions. This year includes visual artists AR Manalo, TRNZ, and Carlo Tanseco.

Anton Lorenzo, gallery director of Village Art Gallery, which is opening a new branch in Greenbelt next week, mentions this is a full circle moment for their signed artist Manalo (artist name “Manaloar”), who first exhibited in Art in the Park online during the pandemic five years ago.

Manalo shares how he prepared for this show as a love letter to his three-year-old daughter. Titled “Princess in the Park,” he explains how in a heartbeat, the toddler always chooses the park over movies or gadgets like the iPad. 

“For us, it’s a place to relax and meditate,” Manalo says. “But for toddlers, it’s one big place for adventure. She sees a bridge in a swing. I think it’s a reminder for us adults to find joy in the mundane, to appreciate life itself. Breathe more often. Don’t live at a desk and live outside. Touch the grass and all that.”

Manalo creates with dry mediums such as graphic and charcoal, mixed with acrylic, as well as materials like giclee prints and plexiglass, to create a mixed media adult pop-up book. The book is a reinterpretation of opening up a field of imagination but as adults, with collages that pay homage to old-style printed press illustrations, fusing old and new.

TRNZ (real name Terence Eduarte) has been creating his pop surrealist, child-like figures for some time now, using ordinary objects he comes across—either exaggerated, repeated, or taken out of context—to create his own narrative.

For example, he recalls seeing some shuttlecocks while playing badminton one day, simply observing how they look. In his work, he drowns one of his distinctive figures with a mountain of shuttlecocks, what at first seemed a ubiquitous object.

“I paint randomly interesting objects that seem a bit ordinary, but kind of feel out of place,” TRNZ says.

He shares how he also took inspiration for the clothes in his figures from ukay-ukay trips with his fiancée. Not an avid shopper himself, he describes how “instead of looking for things to buy, I’m drawn to things that people don’t buy because they’re deemed tacky or too wild.” 

Lately, TRNZ’s work has been taking an undeniably more mature turn, especially for his work at Art in the Park. The figures themselves seem to be getting older, which makes the art seem more mature in itself.

Carlo Tanseco is also among the special artists featured this year. He was highly popular at the recent Art Fair Philippines 2025 for his sculptural works of reinvented Chocnut and cup noodles with clever wordplay.

For Art in the Park 2025, the artist acclaimed for his Rizal Matchbox series will exhibit from this collection for the first time in two years. The exhibit is titled, “Rizal Matchbox: Liyaban ang Apoy ng Kagitingan (Mid-Open – Red)” featuring works of the national hero painted in acrylic on box canvas. 

Tanseco will also show limited-edition giclée prints derived from this work.

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Beyond art, activities in the park will feature local food vendors and beverages to refresh fairgoers after a day under the sun. BPI credit card holders will also receive special rates.

In the evening, there will be performances by singer-songwriter duo Leanne and Naara, and an all-vinyl DJ set by Mario Serrano of EST City. Throughout the day, there will be easy jazz music to add to the vibe.

While Art in the Park has always been a breeding ground for good deals, a learning experience for new collectors, and a place for artists to exhibit their creations, Lopa emphasizes its purpose: “The goal is really to raise funds for the Museum Foundation of the Philippines because it’s primarily a fundraising event for the museum foundation. The museum has always been the beneficiary of Art in the Park.”

Open to everyone, the park offers a day to the public, making art accessible for all, and guaranteeing a very pleasant Sunday at the same time.

Art in the Park 2025 will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on March 23, 2025 at the Jaime Velasquez Park in Makati City