With free exhibits, open-to-public workshops, live performances, and film screenings, the event proves that art doesn’t have to be distant, elite, or intimidating.
The Ortigas Art Festival returns this year with an expanded vision and a new venue, and was officially opened last July 10 at GH Mall in San Juan City. Now in its eighth year, the festival continues its mission of making art more accessible to the public with the theme “Art for All: A Celebration of Borderless Artistic Expression.“
Running until July 24, the event transforms multiple spaces in GH Mall, including the East Wing Atrium, South Wing Atrium, 4F Tech Hub, and Promenade Cinema into platforms for multidisciplinary creativity.
With free exhibits, open-to-public workshops, live performances, and film screenings, the event proves that art doesn’t have to be distant, elite, or intimidating. In the words of Renato Habulan, head curator and festival consultant, “Our mission has always been to bring art closer to people and people closer to art.”
Related story: Old guard meets young blood: Jor-El Espina releases collection inspired by Patis Tesoro
Related story: Designing Filipino identity, Barchan + Architecture wins big at 2025 AADA
The curated exhibitions include artists and collectives from across the country, highlighting regional voices and emerging talent. Works from Angono artists, San Juan Artists Circle, Pasig Art Club, Shine Vitto Galerie from Mindoro, and the Linangan Art Residency are on view, along with institutional exhibitors such as Ortigas Foundation Library, Redlab Gallery, and Born in Film.
Beyond the gallery walls
Showing art in a mall may seem unorthodox to some, but for San Juan artist and fashion designer Chynna Mamawal, it’s exactly the kind of disruption the scene needs. “We are in 2025, so I think moving forward in everything we do, we should be non-traditional,” she said. For her, the mall setting aligns perfectly with the values of accessibility and entrepreneurship.
Chynna, who champions Filipino artisans on the global stage, believes events like the Ortigas Art Festival are crucial for representation: “We’re talented. We just need the same exposure that other countries have. [Let’s pave the way] for local artists in the global platform.”
Related story: This national photography contest is putting Filipino island life in focus
Related story: “Ebb & Flow”: Art, jewelry, and skincare come together for marine conservation
Emotion in every stroke
While others focused on connection or commerce, Melante, an award-winning San Juan artist also known as The Zen Abstractionist, spoke about the emotional resonance he hopes to awaken in everyday viewers. His pieces are textured, bright, and filled with color.
“I want people to feel good, to feel positive when they see my work,” he shared. “It’s like listening to music—there’s emotion in it. Even if you’re just passing by, I hope the colors and textures speak to you.”
For Melante, traditional mediums ground us in a world that’s increasingly becoming digital. “We’re so into technology now, but art brings us back to something physical and natural. It’s a reminder to feel the world in a different way.”
See also
And for those hesitant to share their own creations with the world, his advice is practical and deeply inspiring: “You’re only shy because you’re not confident. And the only way to gain confidence is through experience. You have to move forward and not be afraid to fail. Because when you fail, you rise. That’s how you grow.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Pasig Art Club member Tess Torla, who believes that art in public spaces has the power to connect. “Gusto namin makaka-relate yung mga tao sa artwork,” she said. “Something they can see themselves in—even if they’re just mall goers passing by.”
The art of belonging
In his program speech, Totong Francisco, grandson of National Artist Botong Francisco, captured the spirit of the event best: “We are reminded once again of the power of art: to inspire, to teach, and most especially, to connect all of us. Wala nang mas magandang lugar kundi dito, malapit sa tao.”
Admission and details
All exhibitions and film screenings are free to the public. Workshop participants are advised to pre-register to secure limited slots. The festival runs daily during mall hours until July 24, 2025.
For further details and updates, follow GH Mall and Ortigas Art Festival on Facebook and Instagram.
