Davao City — At the heart of Davao, the 7th Mindanao Art has unfurled its grandest vision yet, sending a clear message that the island’s future will not be tethered by its past: Mindanao will leap beyond. The opening gala at SM Lanang Atrium on September 21, 2025, set the stage for a cultural movement that seeks not only to showcase creativity but to liberate, transcend, and redefine Mindanawon identity through art.
The evening began with a powerful and symbolic gesture. Lawig Diwa President and fair head Kublai Millan delivered a video message recorded at the site of the 9/11 attacks in New York. In Arabic, he sent peace to the world, a resounding reminder of Mindanao’s aspiration to transform scars of conflict into visions of harmony. This moment set the tone for a night dedicated to the transformative power of art — a force that, as Millan declared, can pierce the skies and defy the downward pull of mediocrity.
Keynote speaker Dr. Steven Fernandez, a distinguished cultural scholar from Iligan, further underscored the role of art as both anchor and catalyst — a bridge to the past and a vessel for the future. His message was echoed by leaders and dignitaries present, who lent their support to the cause of art as an agent of peace, innovation, and social change. Among them were Nancy Dela Rosa, Vice President of the Senate Spouses Foundation; North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino Mendoza; Jose Abad Santos Mayor Atty. Jason Joyce; Malita First Councilor Jean Seekins Bautista; and Oscar Casaysay, Head of the Davao City Office for Culture, Arts, and Heritage. Messages of encouragement also came from Ms. Norma Fe Alajar representing NCCA Chair Victorino Manalo, DTI Region XI Director Romeo Castanaga, DOT Region XI Director Tanya Rabat Tan, and representatives from the diplomatic and business communities including the People’s Republic of China Davao Deputy Consul General Wang Mingqing and Mrs. Rosie Alcantara Dominguez of Alsons.
The gala itself was a convergence of art forms. Two of the country’s leading performing groups — Ballet Philippines and Teatro Ambahanon — enchanted the audience with dance pieces that fused tradition and modernity. Esteemed performance artist Nic Aca delivered a riveting act that reminded audiences of art’s ability to provoke and to heal. Adding to the evening’s depth were performances by artists from the Deanna Sipaco Foundation for the Differently Abled, a powerful testimony that art truly transcends barriers.
This marked the beginning of a two-week celebration of artistic innovation and cultural pride. More than 1,000 artworks from 30 participating galleries across Mindanao, as well as guest galleries from Luzon and Visayas, are on view. Themed “Leaping Beyond,” the exhibit invites artists and audiences alike to break through personal, social, and cultural ceilings — visually symbolized by rockets transformed into brushes, chisels, and other artistic tools, ready to propel Mindanao’s stories into new orbits.
“In the hands of a Mindanawon grounded in culture, these tools become instruments of transformation, fueled by the island’s boundless intent and imagination,” Millan said, emphasizing the urgency of rising above mediocrity in an era where creativity is under threat.
Workshops and talks enrich the fair’s program, ensuring that it is not only a showcase of artistry but also a platform for learning. Among the featured speakers are General Santos City’s Leonardo Cariño and Cotabato’s award-winning filmmaker Teng Mangansakan, alongside workshops by acclaimed sculptors Maria Magdamit and Danni Sollesta.
This year marks the third time that SM Lanang has hosted the landmark fair, with strong support from SM Malls Vice President for Marketing Russel Alaba and SM Lanang Assistant Mall Manager Precious Legario. Their collaboration with Lawig-Diwa Inc., the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the National Committee on Art Galleries (NCAG) has ensured that Mindanao Art continues to grow into the region’s premier cultural event.
Since its inception in 2019, Mindanao Art has risen to become the most prominent art exhibition in the island, breaking stereotypes, fostering cultural pride, and providing a national stage for local artists. What began as a dream has now become a movement — a launching pad for artists to transcend limitations and claim a larger space in the nation’s creative landscape.
As the two-week festival unfolds until October 1, 2025, Mindanao Art reaffirms its mission: to liberate through culture, to transform through creativity, and to leap beyond borders — proving that the island’s story is not one of conflict alone, but of imagination, resilience, and hope.