The Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (BACH) Council, in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Center for Culture and Arts Development (CCAD), Bohol Sandugo Foundation, the Diocese of Tagbilaran and Kasing Sining, is spearheading this year’s celebration of National Arts Month, with ‘Kurambos:’ Arts in Convergence as the 2016 theme.
‘Kurambos’ opened at the Bohol Cultural Center with artistic numbers simultaneously happening in one space
Kurambos is a slang word in Bisayan, which means “to bring together the various resources of a group to realize an activity or common endeavor.” Art by its nature has many faces and could only be appreciated as such through the different art disciplines sharing its craft and its unique expressions to enhance each other, highlight each other and celebrate each other.
In appropriating the term Kurambos, Bohol celebrates Art’s convergence, a collage of artistic expression.
Kurambos opened on February 5 at the Bohol Cultural Center, with artistic numbers composed within the space, affording the audience to witness different creative processes simultaneously happening: amakan and weavers, dancers, painters, singers, poets, and musicians. Performers were from HNU’s Diwanag Dance Theater and Ethnic Music Ensemble, Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School Special Program for the Arts (SPA) choir and dance clubs, Visual Artists Joey Labrador and Jacky Curambao, Artiststar singer Tom Vergara, and Amakan weavers from Toril, Maribojoc.
A provincial celebration of PEACE DAY ensued on February 10.
Other component activities for Kurambos are art talks, workshops and exhibitions of Bohol based artists.
A two-day lecture series will happen at the Bohol Cultural Center from February 23 to 24. Arts Talks will feature filmmakers from Heneral Luna, Honor Thy Father, and Lakbay2Love to deliver a talk on “Behind the Scenes in the making of the Filipino Indie Films for February 23; Philippine Ambassador for the ASEAN Luis Cruz and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Chris Millado on “ The Impact of the ASEAN Integration on the Arts Scene in Asia,” on February 24.
Balot Beer Balak, by KAKA (Kaliwat ni Kariyapa), is a one-day workshop for budding Boholano writers culminating in a Poetry Reading and Musical Number at the City Public Plaza.
The visual arts sector is organizing exhibits starting off with Show 101 Highlights by the Industrial Design Students of Bohol Island University, to be on view at the Bohol Cultural Center from February 17 to 19. Pinuga Sa Huna-Huna by the faculty and students of the University of Bohol College of Fine Arts and Architecture from February 24 onwards at the UB Atrium.
Bohol will also host the Founding Congress and Festival of TABOK, the Central Visayas Regional Theater Network, with workshops, organizational launching, and performances from drama groups from Cebu, Negros, and Bohol, with a special preview of Dagohoy The Musical by the Bohol Theater Network headed by Kasing Sining at the Baclayon Cockpit Theater.
Musical Clinics, a workshop cum diagnosis on choral conducting and singing, where leading Boholano conductors provide systematic mentoring and coaching advice to emergent and traditional choral groups in the province to raise their competence in choral conducting and repertoire development, is scheduled every Sunday starting February 14 at scheduled venues.
Kurambos ends with the special concert performance of the Visayas Symphony Orchestra from Cebu, providing a varied repertoire of orchestral works from classical to popular works, with numbers performed with Boholano musical artists. Scheduled on February 27 at the Bohol Cultural Center, this newly formed orchestra under the baton of Rey Abellana will perform a Matinee at 4 p.m. and a Gala at 8 p.m.