CCP opens applications for 14th batch of Kabataang Gitarista

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), through its Artist Training Division under the Arts Education Department, once again opens applications for Batch 14 of the CCP Kabataang Gitarista (KG) Program until August 25, 2026. An initiative designed for young musicians, the program provides FREE weekly classical guitar training that fosters understanding of the instrument and its repertoire.

Open to public high school students in the National Capital Region (NCR), the CCP KG program seeks aspiring classical guitarists in Grades 7, 8, or 9 who are eager to develop their skills. Applicants must be willing to commit to weekly training sessions on Saturdays at the CCP Annex Building and to dedicate time to self-practice on weekdays outside regular training hours. They must also be able to bring a nylon-stringed guitar to the lessons.

Interested applicants may complete and submit the online application form (through this link: https://tinyurl.com/ApplicationFormB14) on or before August 25, 2026 (Tuesday), 5:00 PM. They are expected to attend the onsite auditions on August 29, 2026 (Saturday), from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex. Walk-in applications will also be accommodated on the day of the auditions.

Applicants who successfully pass the onsite auditions will be invited, together with their parents and guardians, to attend an orientation and lecture on September 5, 2026 (Saturday), from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the CCP Annex Building.

Now in its 14th year, the CCP KG Program has provided young guitar players with quality classical guitar lessons and performance opportunities. Members of the ensemble have also performed across various CCP venues, selected public and private schools, outreach concerts outside Manila, and private engagements.

Several members have likewise distinguished themselves in local and international competitions, earning recognition for their schools and bringing pride to the country through their achievements. More than technical training, the program aims to develop a performing classical guitar ensemble and provide young musicians with opportunities to explore their musical potential.

For inquiries regarding the CCP Kabataang Gitarista Program, interested applicants may visit this link: https://linktr.ee/kabataanggitarista.official or contact the CCP Artist Training Division via email at kabataanggitarista.official@gmail.com. For updates and additional information, visit the official CCP website (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/) and follow the CCP Arts Education Programs and CCP Kabataang Gitarista Facebook pages.

Philippine Ballet Theatre headlines Insular Life fundraiser

For the very first time, Philippine Ballet Theatre (PBT), the country’s National Performing Arts Company for Dance, will perform in the south through Insular Life’s special fundraising event, Passion and Purpose.The show will only have one performance at Insular Life, Tanghalang Haribon, Alabang on September 20, 2026, 6:00 PM.

Jess Tangalin and Dom Delmo

The landmark evening brings together world-class Filipino artistry, beloved Original Pilipino Music, and a meaningful cause supporting education and the arts. At the center of the program is On the Wings of Song, otherwise known as the Jose Mari Chan Suite—a signature mixed-bill production celebrating the timeless music of Jose Mari Chan through ballet and contemporary movement.

Matthew Davo and Gabrielle Jaynario

Audiences can expect to hear some of Chan’s most beloved classics, including Please Be Careful With My Heart, Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile, Perhaps Love, Beautiful Girl, Movie Fan, Tsuper ng Aking Buhay, and more—transformed into expressive dance narratives that celebrate Filipino warmth, romance, humor, and family life. Company artist Gabrielle Jaynario shares her thoughts about the show: “Passion and Purpose will allow the audience an opportunity to become grounded for a moment and revisit our local culture. Everyday stories, all told through a fusion of Filipino song and dance, are interesting ways to capture the Filipino spirit. Our JMC Suite is a crowd favorite, always eliciting heartwarming applause because of it’s relateability. And when we can make audiences relate to us artists, it becomes a much more rewarding experience. That said, we are always excited to perform in Muntinlupa”

Philippine Ballet Theatre

Adding a local dimension to the evening, Hampton Court Ballet School will present a special guest performance featuring the young dancers of Muntinlupa City in contemporary ballet works choreographed by award-winning choreographer Fred Fernandez.

More than a performance, Passion and Purpose also serves as a fundraising initiative benefiting:

• Insular Life’s Education Program for the Youth
• Philippine Ballet Theatre’s Adopt-a-Dancer Program
• Hampton Court Ballet School Scholarship Fund

Organizers hope the event will further establish Muntinlupa City as an emerging center for arts and culture while providing more opportunities for young artists and students. Moreover, this is a chance to inspire young audiences to get up and dance as they see relatable art on stage.With limited seating available, organizers encourage you to check out the show and buy their tickets through Ticketmelon.

Sophie Tiangco and Julafer Fegarido

Ticket Prices:

P2,500 Front Orchestra Center

P2,500 Front Orchestra Side

P2,000 Back Orchestra Center

P1,500 Back Orchestra Side

P1,000 Balcony

NCCA opens call for proposals, conducts roadshow for 2027 Competitive Grants Program

Tapping Indigenous Peoples (IP) youths to participate as cultural practices gets transferred to their generation, strenghtening and digitizing the cultural database to combat intellectual property infringements with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and getting music and the arts back into early education were just some of the topics and pressing concerns discussed as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) officially kicked off its Call for Proposals for the Calendar Year 2027 Competitive Grants Program.

Artists, cultural workers, researchers, local government units, educational institutions, indegenous people's organizations, non-government organizations, and other cultural stakeholers to submit project proposals from over 100 specific project categories that contribute to the peservation, promotion, development, and dissemination of Philippine arts and culture.

NCCA Chair and Executive Director
Eric B. Zerrudo, PhD

Anchored on Republic Act No. 7356, the Competitive Grants Program remains one of the Commission's core mandates in supporting cultural development across the country through the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA). The program provides financial assistance to projects that uphold Filipino creativity, safeguard cultural heritage, strenghten cultural communities, and expand access to arts and culture nationwide.

For the 2027 cycle, the NCCA encourages proposals that respond to the country's evolving cultural landscape while remaining aligned with the Commission's mandate and the strategic priorities of its four Subcommissions—Arts; Cultural Heritage; Cultural Dissemination; and Culural Communities and Traditional Arts. Through this annual program, the Commission continues to empower communities and institutions in creating meaningful cultural initiatives that enrich national identity and promote inclusive development.

Interested proponents must first secure an NCAA accrediation to ensure grants eligibility. Proponents must not have any unliquidated or derogatory records with the NCCA or any government agency. Complete project proposals maybe sumbitted through email or courier.

From L to R: Bernan Joseph Corpuz, May-i Padilla, Dr. Maria Alexandra Chua,
Dr. Lordinio Vergara, Emma Ray, Arwin Paul Lingat

The deadline for submission of proposals is 31 August 2026, Monday 11:59 PM (Philippine Standard Time) as posted in the official NCCA Website.

To assist prospective applicants, te NCCA is also set to conduct nationwide Competitive Grants Progam Roadshows, provide orientation and technical assistance sessions on project proposal writing and preparation, eligibility requirements, funding priorities, and the general application process. The roadshows aim to make the grants program more accessible by reaching cultural practictioners and organizations across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The schedule of the roadshows is as follows:

July 21, 2026

National Capital Region

Online

Luzon Cluster

Baguio City

July 27, 2026

Visayas Cluster

Bacolod City

July 28, 2026

Mindanao Cluster

Davao City

QR codes can be scanned for pre-registration while exact venues fo all roadshows will be announced soon on the NCCA Facebook page.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the guidelines, proposal ctegories, and documentary requirements before submission.

Kontragapi

For the complete material on the Competitive Grants Program for 2027, visit: https://ncca.gov.ph/ncca-competitive-grants-program/

Italian Film Festival screens Paolo Sorrentino, Paolo Genovese works at the Shang

The latest works by internationally renowned directors Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty, Youth) and Paolo Genovese (Perfect Strangers) are among the six contemporary Italian films lined up at the return of the Italian Film Festival this June 26-July 1. 2026 at the Shangri-La Plaza's Red Carpet Cinemas in Manadluyong.

Presented by the Embassy of Italy in Manila in collaboration with Elephant Pictures, Cineforum Robert Bresson, the Philippine-Italian Association (PIA), and Shangri-La Plaza's Red Carpet Cinemas, the festival continues its mission of promoting Italian culture and strengthening ties between Italy and the Philippines through the universal language of cinema.

Here is this year's selection of films in detail.

Le città di pianura | The Last One for the Road (2025)

Director: Francesco Sossai

Cast: Filippo Scotti, Sergio Romano, Pierpaolo Capovilla, Roberto Citran, Andrea Pennacchi

Two broke, bar-hopping fiftysomethings meet a shy and aimless architecture student. Together, the three men embark on a chaotic road trip through the Venetian plains where bad advice, hangovers and unexpected friendship shake up the young man’s future plans for life and love.

Elisa (2025)

Director: Leonardo Di Costanzo

Cast: Barbara Ronchi, Roschdy Zem, Diego Ribon, Valeria Golino

Thirty-five-year-old Elisa has been in prison for ten years, convicted for having killed her older sister and burnt her body for no apparent reason. She claims to remember little to nothing about her crime, as if she’d built up a wall of silence between her and her past. But when she decides to meet criminologist Alaoui and take part in his research, embarking on a tense and inexorable exchange, her memories begin to take shape and, amidst the pain of fully accepting her culpability, Elisa finds she might be able to take the first step towards potential redemption.

FolleMente | Madly (2025)

Director: Paolo Genovese

Cast: Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati, Emanuela Fanelli, Maria Chiara Giannetta, Claudia Pandolfi, Vittoria Puccini, Marco Giallini, Maurizio Lastrico, Rocco Papaleo, Claudio Santamaria

A romantic comedy that goes beyond appearances, diving into the minds of the two main characters, Piero and Lara, and revealing their most hidden thoughts and the inner battles that we all face.

Gioia mia | Sweetheart (2025)

Director: Margherita Spampinato

Cast: Marco Fiore, Aurora Quattrocchi, Martina Ziami, Camille Dugay

A young boy and an elderly woman are forced to spend a summer together. It's a clash of modernity and tradition, speed and slowness. A summer filled with fears and discoveries, but also adventures, milestones, and losses – a summer after which nothing will ever be the same again.

La grazia | The Pardon (2025)

Director: Paolo Sorrentino

Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti

Mariano De Santis is the President of the Italian Republic. No connection to any real-life presidents; he is entirely a product of the author’s imagination. A widower and a Catholic, he has a daughter, Dorotea, a legal scholar like himself. As his term draws to a close, amid uneventful days, two final duties arise: deciding on two delicate petitions for a presidential pardon. True moral dilemmas, which become tangled with his private life, in ways that seem impossible to unravel. Driven by doubt, he will have to decide. And, with a deep sense of responsibility, that is exactly what this remarkable Italian President will do.

La vita da grandi | Siblings (2025)

Director: Greta Scarano

Cast: Matilda De Angelis, Yuri Tuci, Maria Amelia Monti, Paolo Hendel, Adriano Pantaleo, Christian Ginepro

Irene is called back to Rimini, her hometown, to care for her autistic brother Omar. Determined to shape his future, Omar persuades Irene to help him become independent and chase his dream of fame as a rap singer.

Here is the schedule of screenings. Admission to all screenings is for free.

June 26, 2026

6:00 PM La grazia

June 27, 2026

6:00 PM FolleMente

June 28, 2026

6:00 PM Elisa

June 29, 2026

6:00 PM Gioia mia

June 30, 2026

6:00 PM La vita da grandi

July 1, 2026

6:00 PM Le città di pianura

For many years, the Italian Film Festival has served as an important platform for cultural exchange, introducing Filipino audiences to the richness and diversity of contemporary Italian filmmaking while creating opportunities for dialogue between artists, educators, students, and cultural institutions.

The festival is part of the broader efforts to promote Italian cultural heritage and strengthen people-to-people connections between Italy and the Philippines.

Festival Director Antonio Termenini continues to oversee the artistic direction of the festival and the selection of films presented to Philippine audiences. A film producer and cultural organizer, Termenini is the founder of Cineforum Robert Bresson, a Rome-based cultural association dedicated to promoting cinema and cultural exchange. He is also the creator of the internationally recognized Asian Film Festival in Italy and Managing Director of Elephant Pictures, a film production and distribution company. Through these initiatives, he has played an important role in promoting both Italian and Asian cinema and fostering cultural dialogue between Europe and Asia.