ABOUT
Baliwag City is home to many visual artists. Roman Carreon was the contemporary of Guillermo Tolentino in the UP College of Fine Arts and was known for his numerous monuments and classical sculptures such as the Jose Rizal Monument and Andres Bonifacio Monument in Baliwag and one of the sculptures in Jones Bridge in Manila. Another stalwart in Baliwag’s visual arts is Jose D. Castro whose paintings can be found in several museums and private collectors. We also have contemporary visual artists who have made a name in the art scene and won National Art Competitions. They are Marvin Cruz, Adeodatus Sta. Juana, and Bart Jage Angeles among others. Baliwag is also home to an active artists group called GuhitPinas Bulacan Baliwag.
The Ico and Lety Cruz Art Competition is one of the endeavors of the City Government of Baliwag through the Museo ng Baliwag, Baliwag City Library, and Baliwag Tourism Office and in partnership with the family and descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Renato and Leticia Cruz. The program was inaugurated in 2022 and is targeted to be an annual art competition. The program was also awarded in 2023 by the National Library of the Philippines and The Asia Foundation in the Gawad Pampublikong Akaltan as Best Social Inclusion for Local Cultural and Historical Preservation and Conservation Award.
This year’s competition have four phases: (1) The 2024 Launch and Announcement Period on February 22, 2024 in line with the National Arts Month; (2) The Artist Residency program from February 26 to April 7, 2024; (3) The main event which includes of the judging, awarding of winners, and opening of the exhibition on May 29, 2024 as part of the celebration of the National Heritage Month and the Buntal Festival; and (4) the launch of the e-book/book of the competition in September in line with the Philippine Creative Industries Month.
OBJECTIVES
The art competition in general aims to promote and support Bulacan artists and preserve the local culture by:
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Providing a platform for artists for creative exercises. There are so many visual artists in Bulacan but there are only a few spaces that exhibit or showcase their artworks. The competition will open up venues (on-site) and platforms (online/virtual) for them to showcase their creative products.
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Supporting their artistic practice through incentives such as prizes and grants. Cash prizes will be given to the winners of the competition as monetary incentives and rewards for their artistic labor. Aside from that, to help the winners improve their artistic knowledge and capacities, an artist residency program for them will be organized.
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Creating awareness and engagement from the community for the holistic development of the arts and the preservation of local culture. The program does not only benefit the artists but also the Baliwagenyos and the general public through education. The artworks are effective materials to promote and educate the public about the arts and how to preserve Baliwag’s culture.
THE ORGANIZERS
The City Government of Baliwag through the Museo ng Baliwag
The City Government of Baliwag pursuant to Republic Act No.10066, also known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, works to “protect, preserve, conserve, and promote the nation’s cultural heritage, its property and histories, and the ethnicity of local communities.” To fulfill this, the Museo ng Baliwag was formally established in 2017 through an Executive Order of Mayor Ferdinand V. Estrella. The Museum is not merely a repository of cultural artifacts for exhibitions and traditional museum programs. Moreover, it serves as the Arts and Culture Office that creates and implements programs, projects, and activities for the promotion, preservation, and development of Baliwag arts and culture.
The Cruz Family
The Ico and Lety Cruz Art Competition is named as such in honor of the late couple Renato “Ico” Mateo Cruz and Leticia “Lety” Mercado-Cruz from Baliwag, Bulacan. Ico was born in April 16, 1930. He is the son of Engr. Vicente Cruz and Cristina Mateo. He was a former Municipal Councilor and was Baliwag Town Fiesta Hermano Mayor in the 1970s. Their family was the owner and administrator of the former Baliuag Ice Plant and BELAPCO in which he served as manager and Vice President respectively during their operations until 1986. Ico died on March 8, 2007. Lety, as she was fondly called, was born on September 15, 1933. Her parents are Gaudencio and Inocenciahh Mercado. She served as a public school teacher. She was a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Papal awardee for her distinguished service to the Catholic Church, particularly in the care of elderly and sick priests of the Diocese of Malolos. She died on October 19, 2020. The couple was both devout Catholic; hence, the launch of the competition is part of the celebration of the Pistang Bayan of the St. Augustine Parish Church.