Buklod Sining. one of the oldest student organizations of the University of the East in general and of the UE College of Fine Arts, Architecture and Design (UE CFAD) in particular, has been recognized as the 2022 UNESCO Clubs of the Philippines Outstanding Organization for Culture!
The UE org was formally recognized during the International Assembly of Youth for UNESCO held last December 9-11, 2022, at Bayview Park Hotel in Manila.
The award was received by Buklod Sining’s incumbent President Krista Fe Andrea Toledo, , and former Vice President Nicole Vera Cruz, who are in their third year and fourth year, respectively, as UE Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), major in Visual Communication students.
The award, the contenders for which are all the UNESCO Club members of different universities and colleges all over the Philippines, is given to recognize and campaign for the achievements and advocacies of such clubs, whose endeavors are aligned with the ideals and thrusts of UNESCO in promoting cultural diversity and contributing to peace and human development.
For three decades now, Buklod Sining has actively been involved in numerous arts and culture initiatives locally and abroad. The core of Buklod Sining is “Art for Social Change”; in 2013, the organization introduced to the members and alumni the notion that artists have an immense responsibility to their society.
From then on, Buklod Sining has continuously established partnerships with different organizations and stakeholders. As student organizations should also embrace the idea of humanity, Buklod Sining’s visionary members need to understand the situation of the community—to be able to give back and create sustainable micro and macro projects that will identify the importance of arts ecology, socially engaged art practices, and creative activation.
Furthermore, Buklod Sining believes in active participation in UNESCO’s work towards building and understanding the importance of human relations and the continuous use of collective strength in creating a peaceful, impartial, and stable community through various initiatives, including art-related projects.
Buklod Sining’s application for UNESCO recognition was not an easy journey. Incumbent UE CFAD Dean Don S. Amorsolo encouraged the organization to join in 2019, through the efforts of Buklod Sining Presidents Ysabela Santos, (SY 2018-2019), Anjella Gieneena Cruz (SY 2019-2020), and Eloisa Joy Saurin (SY 2020-2021), UE CFAD 2018 BFA Visual Communication graduate and Buklod Sining Alumni Society (BSAS) President Elvin Jay Macanlalay, Advisers Prof. Richard S. Legaspi and Prof. Ronwell Jason L. Bacani (the latter a BSAS Chairman Emeritus), and its members. Buklod Sining went on to receive accreditation as the first UE Caloocan student organization to be a UNESCO Clubs member and this year, under the administration of Krista Fe Andrea Toledo, the organization received one of the highest honors given to a UNESCO Clubs Philippines member organization.
Winning the Outstanding UNESCO Club Philippines in Culture Category was not the product of overnight work. It is rather a reflection of decades of significant projects, and of understanding the social sphere.
Some of Buklod Sining’s remarkable projects are National Commission for Culture and the Arts-sponsored exhibitions and the art publication Alay Kulay: Art Workshop and Project Coloring Book, for the children of Pangasinan; Alab ng Manlilikha, with National Artist Ricardo Lee; a Lockdown Gallery for Frontliners and Jeepney Drivers; a Buklod Art Series Workshop for High Schools; Brigada Eskwela participations; IndieKnow: SinEdukado; Salin Sining: the Art of Leaf Fronds Folding; Burda: Weaving through the contemporary Philippine fashion realm; Bayani Ba’ To; Heroism x Pag-ibig Forum; Project Saysay in Mayoyao, Ifugao; the PinaEBA Art Exhibition series at the NCCA Gallery and the Lung Center of the Philippines; ‘Mula Quiapo Hanggang Caloocan’: An Afternoon with Ricky Lee; Sining sa Pader; and Pelikulay: A Tribute to Philippine Cinema Art exhibit series at the Philam Life Foundation Gallery, the NCCA Gallery and the UP-Ishmael Bernal Gallery.
In 2020, Buklod Sining was hailed as one of the semi-finalists of the TAYO Awards or the 18th Search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations Awards, for the group’s creative response to the creative community during the pandemic.
All told, UE CFAD’s Buklod Sining is excited to embrace 2023 with optimism and willpower to seek change and transform communities through the use of art.
Congratulations to the present and past officers and constituents of Buklod Sining, and to UE CFAD!
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