TOPS takes Cebu art to new heights

High above the coastal plains, where the mountain air of Busay sweeps over the panorama of Cebu City, a cultural awakening takes root upon the heights. TOPS ArtFest, a four-day festival at the iconic mountaintop destination, has given Cebu’s visual arts scene a prominent public venue beyond the conventional gallery.

Held from 22 to 25 October, the festival’s third edition carried the theme “Building and Breaking Norms.” More than 300 artists took part in an event that turned a site known for its scenic vistas and dining establishments into an open-air art destination.

Cebu’s rich artistic roots

Cebu’s visual arts tradition long predates TOPS ArtFest. The Cebu Art Association, founded in 1937 by artist Julian Jumalon and fellow practitioners, helped organize the local art community and promote public interest in the visual arts. \

Martino Abellana, widely known as the “Dean of Cebuano Painters,” also shaped generations of artists through his work as a painter and teacher. In 1975, Abellana and Jumalon joined National Artist Jose T. Joya and Cebuano artist Mel Tamayo in the establishment of UP Cebu’s Fine Arts program, the first institution to offer formal art training outside Metro Manila.

The tradition continued through artists such as Sofronio “SYM” Mendoza, Romulo Galicano, Jose “Kimsoy” Yap Jr., and, among contemporary practitioners, Orley Ypon and Mark “Kidlat” Copino. Yet Cebu’s artistic talent has not always received the same access to the galleries and art market concentrated in Manila.

A 2018 study by University of the Philippines Cebu’s Dennis Montera and Hui-Wen Lin examined the difficulties Cebu-based artists faced in art production, promotion and sales. Another academic study published that year found that 101 of the 157 galleries in its survey were in Metro Manila. These figures offer a historical picture of the imbalance, not a current count of galleries.

This is where TOPS ArtFest finds its significance. The festival gives Cebu’s artists another platform for public exposure while bringing established names and important works to audiences in the region. It also places the city within a wider conversation about Philippine visual arts.

Masterworks beyond the gallery

Leading this year’s creative dialogue were principal artists Junyee and National Artist Nunelucio “Nune” Alvarado. They were joined by a distinguished roster that included Galicano, Ronald Ventura, Demi Padua, Charlie Co, Randalf Dila and Dino Gabito.

A major highlight was Junyee’s seminal 1981 installation, Wood Things, made from dried banana stalks and kapok pods. The work represented the Philippines at the 12th Paris Biennale in 1982. Its display at TOPS gave local audiences access to a significant piece of Philippine installation art, alongside Ventura’s art cars, James Doran-Webb’s sculptures, and a fashion show at the Viewing Deck.

The presence of such works also allowed the festival to introduce visitors to different forms of artistic expression. Its open-air setting brought art into a public destination where people could encounter works outside the usual gallery circuit.

Art as a shared experience

The festival also featured Resonance in Motion, an interactive work in which visitors painted on a canvas connected to a sound machine. Educational talks and workshops gave audiences further opportunities to learn about artistic practice and hear directly from artists.

The Art Tabang Live Auction connected art collection with community initiatives. The event offered artworks to new owners and linked their sale to a wider civic purpose.

These activities matter because an art scene depends on more than the work of artists. It also needs audiences, collectors, institutions, and public spaces that support the exchange of ideas and the appreciation of art. TOPS ArtFest brought several of these elements together in one event.

Visions rendered outdoors

The PERSPECTIVE PLAY plein-air painting competition challenged professional and student artists to make the surrounding mountain landscape their subject. In the professional division, Marianne Guinto claimed the P50,000 top prize, followed by Jolimar A. Delos Santos in second place and Angelito “Jo” Florendo in third.

The student category also recognized emerging talent, with Hennie Portugal taking first place, Michael Luengas Jr. securing second, and Maite Alessandra Zuluaga finishing third. The contest gave artists an opportunity to interpret the same landscape through their individual styles and perspectives.

Beyond the four-day festival

A four-day event cannot address every challenge that Cebu’s visual arts community faces, particularly those related to exhibition opportunities, art sales, and wider recognition. However, TOPS ArtFest can contribute to that effort by giving artists a public platform, introducing visitors to significant works, and encouraging greater interest in visual arts.

Cebu already has the artists, history and institutions that support a distinct artistic identity. Events such as TOPS ArtFest can help bring that heritage to a wider audience. Its lasting contribution will depend on continued opportunities for local artists and sustained public interest long after the exhibitions close.

Visitors may come to TOPS for the breathtaking view, but the festival gives them another reason to return: The art and the artists that make Cebu an important part of the Philippine visual arts story.