THE Province of Tarlac hosted its first ever Tarlac Art Fair that that featured paintings, sculptures, photographs and crafts made by Tarlaqueño artists. Tarlac Art Fair 2021 is organized by the Tarlac Provincial Government, and is a satellite exhibition of ManilART—- the country’s premier annual national art fair. Tarlac Art showcased the province’s collective achievement in the realm of culture and the arts.

The art fair is being held at the Diwa ng Tarlac and will run from October 1 to November 13.
Tarlac Province is regarded as a crucible of multi-cultural dynamism with its long history dating back to its foundation during the Philippine Spanish colonial era in the late 19th century. Its name is derived from a local grass-like weed called “Malatarlak” which grew abundantly within the land. Originally, an auxillary to Pampanga, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija, its establishment as an independent province in Central Luzon buoyed the rich heritage characteristic of its people and locality.
With this year’s ManilART theme “Continuing Legacy”, Tarlac clearly found its niche in the field of art production and product design. An abundance of local talents exemplifying a high level of proficiency in their chosen crafts surfaced to highlight the diversity of Tarlac Art. Ranging from painting, to photography, to pottery and local crafts, these talented artists banded together to collectively represent the best of what the region has to offer.
Over 100 Tarlaqueño visual artists composed of painters, sculptors, photographers, potters and artisans have participating in the art fair.
Being the first Central Luzon leg of the ManilART island satellite sites outside Metro Manila, Tarlac Art aims to promote the uniqueness of its vernacular. It endeavors to acquaint the art public with Tarlac’s own take in the field of Philippine contemporary art.
From Realism and figurative to Expressionism and abstract, these artists explored variations in theme that reflect personal, social, environmental, and political issues affecting their community and the nation. Pottery designs, on the other hand reflect the blending of colloquial aesthetic merging with the modern eclectic taste.
The physical art exhibition happening on-site will have an off-site counterpart accessed virtually through a virtual platform portal provided by both by the Tarlac Art and ManilART platroms. This is to give the viewing public constrained by the pandemic travelling restrictions a chance to see and experience the exhibited artworks and program remotely.
Tarlac Art is an initial joint project of the Provincial Government of Tarlac, Tarlac Tourism, ManilART, with the sponsorship by KATINKO Ointment and Creams.
ManilART2021 and its satellite sites are co-presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), ManilArt Foundation, and Bonafide Art Galleries Organization (BAGO) for the annual Museum and Galleries Month nation-wide event.
PIO