Iloilo City, together with the Department of Trade and Industry, is hosting the first creative festival in Western Visayas dubbed "FiestaKucha".

The "FiestaKucha: Philippine Regional Creative Festivals" is a series of creative festivals spread across different regions nationwide that serve as a platform for artists, performers and creative individuals to showcase and celebrate their talents and skills, and to nurture and inspire the creative industries by focusing on cultural exchange, collaboration, support for emerging artists, creative entrepreneurship and community engagement.

With the theme "FiestaKucha: Embracing Creative Industries in Western Visayas", the two-day event in Iloilo highlighting the region's creative industries kicked off on Monday, 11 December.

Project activities include a Hiligaynon culinary competition and cuisine showcase at the Molo Mansion on 11 December, and "Istorya Ta", a series of fora delving on creative industry topics on 12 December at Zuri Hotel.

A "Kasadyahan sa Gab-i" will showcase vibrant culture artistic experiences and creative tourism in Western Visayas through performances and gastronomy on Tuesday night.

The culinary events will be participated in by invited chefs from Manila, Indonesia and New York who will share their inputs and expertise, while the "Istorya Ta" event will be graced by Pangasinan 4th District's Rep. Christopher de Venecia, a champion of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act.

The event also coincides with the city's recent recognitions such as the Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO; Creative-Friendly Destination by the Creative Tourism Network; and Best Book on Food in the 2023 National Book Awards for the book project "Flavors of Iloilo."

According to Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions head Velma Lao, developing further the potential of creative industries is part and parcel of the country's development thrust. It is in consonance with Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, which mandates the promotion and development of Philippine creative industries by protecting and strengthening the rights and capacities of creative firms, artists, artisans, creators, workers, indigenous cultural communities, content providers and other stakeholders in the creative industries.

Aside from gastronomy and heritage, the Iloilo City government will focus on visual arts, digital arts, performing arts and creatives.

FiestaKucha will play a significant role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Western Visayas while stimulating economic growth and development. Its success is expected to have a positive impact on the region's creative economy.

It will encourage innovation and knowledge-sharing among local artists, artisans and performers by providing them with exposure and opportunities for collaboration.

Along with establishing Iloilo City as a regional hub for creative industries, it will also promote Western Visayas as a must-visit destination for creative tourism.