THE NATIONAL Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has a budget of P133 million for its competitive grants program this year.
In a press conference in July, NCCA’s Cultural Heritage Subcommission Head Ivan Anthony S. Henares said that the grants will be spread out equally among the six national committees: archives, art galleries, historical research, library and information sciences, museums, and monuments and sites.
He explained that they are hoping for more applications than last year, with civil society organizations and local government units disseminating information on the grants. The deadline for submission of grant proposals is on Aug. 31.
“This program reaffirms our commitment to the advancement of Philippine arts and culture,” Mr. Henares said.
Under the law, it is Republic Act 7356, or the NCCA Charter, that mandates that grants be given to artists and cultural groups that contribute significantly to the country’s cultural legacy.
NCCA Executive Director Eric B. Zerrudo said at the press conference that cultural heritage in particular has been a hot topic lately, with the commission conducting training, capacity building, increasing awareness and education to promote the protection and preservation of cultural heritage.
He called on all Filipinos to play a part: “Hindi lang ito dapat dahil sa sentimental value o sa pera (This shouldn’t just be for sentimental or economic value). It has to be more than that. We hope you can help us put together a more scientific, logical system to communicate it to more people.”
The NCCA Competitive Grants Program accepts project proposals and studies them in a rigorous and confidential evaluation process based on merit, quality, and relevance.
The projects are categorized under 19 committees divided into four sub commissions: the Sub commission on the Arts; Sub commission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts; Sub commission on Cultural Dissemination; and Sub commission on Cultural Heritage.
SUPPORT FOR SMALL PLAYERSOne of the 19 committees is that on Museums, whose head, Jose Eleazar R. Bersales, told BusinessWorld that small museums, especially in the regions, often find it hard to compete for grants.
“If properly researched, curated, and presented to the public, every museum object has worth in terms of the story it tells and how it helps develop our understanding of life,” he said via Messenger.
With a grant, a museum can develop and enhance its exhibition capabilities, whether it tells the history of a small barrio or the legacy of an old church.
“The value of museums should never be measured in monetary terms but rather on how much each contributes to educating and inspiring visitors.”
Meanwhile, National Committee on Art Galleries head Maria Teresa Rayos del Sol noted that people managing museums and galleries have to be “well-versed in history and the value of artworks and artefacts.”
“They need proper education and workshops on how to protect their collections from disasters and theft,” she told BusinessWorld in a phone call. “If they write to us or apply for grants, NCCA is prepared to give technical assistance.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana
