A hotel in Poblacion, Makati City is housing budding artists in the country to enable them gain traction in the global arts arena via the mentorship opportunities given by formidable coaches and well known visual artists.
Even though Draper Startup House Manila is only regaining revenue momentum because of the Covid 19 pandemic when it shuttered due to the strict mobility restrictions, the management opened its doors for upcoming artists to host their artworks.
In an interview, Draper's general manager Celine Veloso said they launched the 'Artist Collective Meta Manila' to host a residency and incubation program for its first lineup of artists, including Jopet Arias, Anton Cabrera, Jarrett Pinto, Jakestudyo, Karren Barcita, Francis Lim, and Steve Manzano.
"We are providing the space, and for this particular project, the artist that we supported had a residency and the provision of their materials to create their works," said Veloso.
To showcase the artworks, the management of Drapers Startup House decided to place the art pieces on the walls of the hotel so that customers, especially those who are fans of art pieces, can see and eventually buy those art pieces or hire them to do the same crafts for them.
"Of course, after this project, we will be minting all their works into digital forms, and it will be part of the Draper NFT Collection and in the Likha marketplace. After that, there's going to be a larger artist incubation where we are working with other collaborators to support these artists further and bring them to the global stage, providing them with greater opportunities and exposure, helping them to exhibit their crafts to other places," Veloso told the Daily Tribune.
The said endeavor was launched Thursday night for its Manila leg, and Veloso said they are planning to bring the art exhibit to all Draper Startup Houses worldwide.
"We are taking this as an ongoing thing. The 'Artist Collective Meta Manila' is in its experimental stage to see if there's an interest, how much support we can provide, and who else will be willing to work with us for this initiative. Hopefully, we get to manage and do it a forever thing, which is our vision," Veloso added.
She also lauds the passage of Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act. The new law will help the creative industry sector grow and set the country as the number one creative economy in Asia, as the industry needs further support from the government.
Veloso said they are currently in talks with the local government of Makati City and the Cultural Center of the Philippines after the project gained support from them on how they can expand the viewership of the artworks in other places.
The launch of 'Artist Collective Meta Manila' was a success through the help of artist communities such as Likha NFT, Titik Poetry, Crypto Art Philippines, and Filipinas NFT.
Draper Startup House Manila is part of an international network of business owners present in over 30 plus locations, supported by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper who formed the Draper Venture Network.
