From public plazas to theater stages and cinema screens, the Iloilo Arts Festival 2026 brought Ilonggo creativity, culture, and storytelling to the forefront from October 9 to 25.
The festival officially opened on October 24, gathering artists, performers, filmmakers, and creative groups under the theme “Arts in Our Plaza: Open Spaces, Shared Stories.” It highlighted the importance of making art accessible to everyone by bringing creative expressions into shared community spaces.
Leny Ledesma, Executive Assistant to Mayor Raisa S. Treñas, delivered the mayor’s message during the opening, emphasizing how art could bring people together and strengthen community ties.
Also present were Emmanuel Gemora, chairperson of the Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council; City Councilor Miguel Treñas, chair of the Committee on Tourism; Executive Assistant Jay Treñas of the Iloilo Arts Festival Committee; SK Federation Chairman Jelma Implica; MICE Iloilo City Director Lea Lara; Ar. Marie Nikolai Cabrera, Co-chairman, USDC Cycle 5 UAP Iloilo Chapter; Leny Ledesma, Executive Assistant to the Mayor for Special Projects; Kris Brasileno, Event Head, Visual Arts: Dir. Monding Salao, ICFest, Festival Director; and representatives of partner organizations.
“What is more inclusive than an open space that is open for everyone?” Jay Treñas said, underscoring the choice of La Paz Plaza as a venue where people from different walks of life could experience and appreciate art.
One of the festival’s major highlights was Art in the Park, held at La Paz Plaza from October 23 to 25. The event featured a visual arts exhibition with six exhibitors and 11 artists, food offerings from 10 mobile vendors, nightly band performances, outdoor busking, and a fashion show.
The festival also brought a beloved Filipino literary classic to life through Ballet Manila’s Ibong Adarna, staged at the Rose Memorial Auditorium of Central Philippine University on October 23, followed by a free performance at La Paz Plaza on October 25.
Cinema took center stage through the Iloilo Cinema Festival (ICFest), held from October 14 to 18 at Festive Walk Cinemas. It showcased 37 short films and two full-length films by Ilonggo filmmakers, all free of charge.
Lectures, student forums, a town hall with Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Jose Javier Reyes, and a forum on women in cinema featuring actress Gabby Padilla further enriched the program.
“We want to bring back the social experience of cinema to the Ilonggos,” Festival Director Raymund “Munding” Salao said, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to making film appreciation more accessible while giving local filmmakers opportunities to showcase their work.
Across nine art forms—architecture, cinema, dance, dramatic arts, fashion design, gastronomy, literary arts, music, and visual arts—the festival showcased the breadth of Iloilo’s creative community.
“Milestones like these show that people are now coming here to Iloilo to celebrate creativity,” Jay Treñas said.
More than a series of exhibitions and performances, the Iloilo Arts Festival 2026 provided local artists and filmmakers with platforms to reach wider audiences while bringing cultural experiences closer to the public.
