NCCA accepting proposals for 2018 arts and culture projects

BAGUIO CITY-- The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) said proposals for 2018 arts and culture projects with grants ranging from P50,000 to P1 million are now being accepted.

NCCA section head for Arts Ferdinand Isleta said the cost of projects will depend on their extent.

 The NCCA’s recent press conference came as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte mentioned in his second State of the Nation Address that the government will help retrieve and preserve cultural artifacts.

 NCCA encourages artistic creations and empowering the artists and cultural workers to submit proposals to be implemented in 2018. It is also looking for implementing partners of projects which have been conceptualized by the agency.

He said NCCA chairman National Artist Virgilio S. Almario and Executive Director Rico S. Pableo Jr. continue to fulfill the commission’s mandate to preserve, develop and promote Philippine Arts and Culture by giving grants to arts and cultural projects.

 NCCA projects are categorized into arts, heritage, cultural dissemination and cultural communities and traditional arts. Project briefs as well as guidelines and requirements are downloadable in their websites.

Isleta said that there will be two screening processes. The first screening will focus on the requirements of the proposals. The proponent will be advised to complete what is lacking.

The second part is based on the content and relevance of the proposals. “NCCA gives guidelines on how to come up with a acceptable proposals. Write shop is also being conducted on a regional basis to help people in the field of culture and arts.”

 He revealed that for 2017, there were two approved proposals in Baguio city. The Luzon Cultural Promotion proposed by the Cordillera but benefited the whole of Luzon and the Development of Cultural Sensitivity module for media.

Art Tibaldo of the NCCA cinema committee said individuals institutions can submit their proposals. Dozens of proposals have been submitted in 2016 but due to lack of details the proposals were denied.

 Tibaldo said the track record of the proponent is required and new entrants gives them a slimmer competitive factor, he said.

 Dr.Pricilla Macansantos of the Committee on Literary Arts urged people from the Cordillera Administrative Region to avail of the grant.

 Filipino individuals as well as civil society organizations, indigenous people’s organization or groups, local government units, government agencies, state universities and colleges, public schools are all encouraged to apply.

Deadline for submission of letters of intent and proposals is on August 31, 2017. It must be submitted to the Planning, Policy Formulation and Programming Division (PPFPD). Division Chief Bernan Corpuz at Rm. 5-B 5/F, NCCA Bldg., 633 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros Manila.

 Proposals may also be submitted through email-- arts@ncca.gov.ph. For inquiries on the NCCA Grants Programs, contact P/PFPD through direct line (02)522 2084, trunkline number 527 2192 and email address pmd@ncca.gov.ph, grants@ncca.gov.ph orinfo@ncca.gov.ph.  -- Tarla F. Tingal/ PNA