The Ortigas Art Festival 2025 makes its return with a powerful theme that invites everyone, regardless of background, to experience and participate in the arts, free from exclusivity or limits.
By Dara Clariza Evangelista
“There’s no gatekeeping. No barriers.” This powerful line from the organizing committee of Ortigas Art Festival 2025 sums up everything the annual event stands for, and this year, more than ever, the message rings loud and clear.
Now in its eighth year, the award-winning festival returns with its boldest and most inclusive edition yet. Running from July 10 to 24 at GH Mall, this year’s theme, “Art for All: A Celebration of Borderless Artistic Expression,” transforms everyday spaces into creative playgrounds, proving that art doesn’t need a pedestal to be meaningful.
Organized by Ortigas Malls and curated by Helen Mirasol and Renato Habulan, the festival turns the mall’s East and South Wing Atriums, 4F Tech Hub, and Promenade Cinema into immersive art zones. The move to a high-traffic venue like GH Mall is intentional. “By making art more accessible, we’re helping artists grow, helping communities connect, and creating meaningful cultural experiences for everyone,” says Habulan.
The festival’s lineup reflects that commitment. Visitors will find visual works from both celebrated and emerging Filipino artists, among them Totong Francisco (grandson of National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco), Raul Roco Jr., and fashion designer Chynna Mamawal. Community-based art groups from Pasig, Mindoro, San Juan, and Angono (the art capital of the Philippines) are heavily represented, emphasizing that great art is being made everywhere, not just in the metro’s elite circles.
Workshops, forums, and artist talks take over the 4F Tech Hub, inviting mallgoers to pick up a brush, learn from practicing artists, and be part of the creative process. Groups like the Philippine Guild of Watercolorists, Born in Film, Linangan Art Residency, and the Pasig Art Club are leading the charge in turning viewers into participants.
Art takes shape in many forms at this festival. Beyond galleries, there are free film screenings of Babae at Baril, John Denver Trending, and Thy Womb, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines. Onstage, UPeepz, The Learning Tree, and Halili School of Dance highlight performance as an equally valid medium. Mamawal’s exhibit, meanwhile, blurs the line between fashion and art, showing that creativity can, and should, spill across disciplines.
Admission to the Ortigas Art Festival is free. Exhibits, screenings, and live performances run daily during mall hours, while workshop slots require registration.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or someone who just happened to pass by, this year’s festival is a reminder that art doesn’t need permission to be appreciated. “No gatekeeping. No barriers.” Just pure, unfiltered creativity, for everyone.
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