The 9th Ortigas Art Festival brings National Artists, independent cinema, and hands-on creative sessions to Greenhills until July 31.
You could spend another weekend circling the mall with an iced coffee or you could catch a Lino Brocka or Brillante Mendoza classic, encounter the words of Virgilio Almario, and wander through installations by some of the country’s most interesting artists—all without paying an entrance fee.
The 9th Ortigas Art Festival is now taking over GH Mall in Greenhills, San Juan, until July 31, 2026. Built around the theme “Elevate,” the festival brings paintings, sculptures, photography, literature, theater design, independent films, performances, and workshops into a space where people are already meeting friends or running errands.
Related story: NCCA opens call for 2027 Competitive Grants Program
Related story: How rising abstract artist Glenn Perez unifies structure and metallic vitality
National Artists take over the mall
One of the festival’s most important exhibitions spotlights National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, also known by his pen name Rio Alma.
Presented in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Press, the display brings Almario’s words into a visual setting. Almario is one of the most influential figures in modern Filipino literature, with a body of work spanning poetry, criticism, translation, editing, and cultural advocacy. He was named National Artist for Literature in 2003 and later served as chairperson of both the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Almario has spent much of his career arguing for a Filipino language that remains alive, expressive, and useful in everyday life.
The festival also honors Salvador “Badong” Bernal, National Artist for Theater Design. Presented in collaboration with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the exhibition introduces audiences to the imagination behind some of Philippine theater’s most memorable stage worlds. Bernal transformed fabric, light, color, and local materials into sets and costumes that could carry an entire story before an actor even spoke.
Junyee proves art does not need to stay inside a frame
This year’s featured artist is Luis “Junyee” Yee Jr., widely regarded as the father of installation art in the Philippines.
Junyee is known for using bamboo, leaves, wood, and other natural or found materials to create works that seem to grow from the spaces around them. His installations often blur the boundary between artwork and environment, inviting viewers to move around them instead of simply standing at a polite distance.
The wider festival lineup gives visitors plenty more to discover. Agos Studio marks the 50th anniversary of Kaisahan, the influential collective associated with Philippine social realism. Exhibitions also come from Eskinita Art Gallery, Linangan Art Residency, Thombayan Art Space, Art Circle Gallery, Historia Art Gallery, Nami Art Gallery, the Mindoro Artists Group, Pasig Art Club, and the Collective Artists of Angono.
Born in Film, meanwhile, turns its lens on the Philippines through a photography exhibition that moves between nostalgia and contemporary life.
Trade the usual movie night for a Filipino classic
The festival’s free film program may be its best offer for anyone looking for an affordable night out. Screenings at Cinema 4 of the Promenade cover restored classics, documentaries, Cinemalaya selections, Gawad Alternatibo shorts, and contemporary independent films.
The program brings works by National Artists Lamberto Avellana, Manuel Conde, Lino Brocka, Kidlat Tahimik, and Ricky Lee, alongside films from Sari Dalena, Brillante Mendoza, JL Burgos, Paul Morales, and emerging regional filmmakers.
Weekend visitors can catch Lino Brocka’s Jaguar, a tense portrait of class and survival in Manila. The 1979 film competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980. Other remaining titles include Alipato at Muog, That We May See, Ma’ Rosa, Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok, and Kidlat Tahimik’s Why Is Yellow the Middle of a Rainbow?
Admission is free, although advance registration is encouraged. See the complete Ortigas Art Festival screening schedule and registration details before heading to Greenhills. Selected screenings also include talkback sessions with the filmmakers, so it’s worth staying after the credits.
Looking at other people’s work makes your hands itch to create
The festival also offers free workshops in acrylic pouring, block printing, textured plaster art, paper cutting, sketching, storytelling, and photography copyright.
The sessions are designed to be approachable, and slots and schedules may vary, so check the Ortigas Art Festival and Greenhills social pages before making the trip.
The festival is also introducing the Ortigas Art Competition, an artist-development program involving 24 finalists. Their works will appear in a dedicated exhibition in January 2027. A selected grantee will receive recognition during the festival’s 10th anniversary and an opportunity for international exposure connected to Art Basel Hong Kong 2027.
The exhibitions are spread across the South Wing Atrium, East Wing Atrium, fourth-floor Tech Hub, and Cinema 4 at the Promenade at GH Mall.
Ortigas Art Festival 2026 is happening at GH Mall, Greenhills Commercial Complex, Ortigas Avenue, San Juan until July 31, 2026. Film screenings run until July 30.
Related story: DreamWorks’ ‘Forgotten Island’ has folklore, friendship, and a soundtrack stacked with Filipino talent
Related story: A dozen queer artists take over Gallery.Sort.Of’s annual Pride exhibition
