Creativity is in the air as an art fair in Quezon City features artworks by local artists.
Gateway Art Fair 2026 showcases paintings, sculptures, and other visual artworks by 250 participants from different parts of the country, the highest number since the fair began in 2022.
The art event runs from October 1 to 4 across Gateway Malls 1 and 2 in Quezon City.
The public can visit and appreciate the artworks displayed in 36 booths at Quantum Skyview for free.
Each booth offers its own theme, subject and story.
For instance, Vice Versa Artist Group shares its “journey in finding meaning” through its artworks, despite differences in its members’ perspectives and stories.
Among the exhibitors are Yaru Nu Artes Ivatan, Voyage: Mindo Artist Group, UST College of Fine Arts, Artistica PH, Pugad in Art Studio and Female Art Addicts.
The public can also visit installations by local artists Chris Luca, Elias Pernecita Jr., and Nina Chanco Libatique on Levels 3 and 4 of Gateway Mall 2.
Luca’s art depicts the struggles of commuting, Pernecita’s work highlights art and sustainability, while Libatique features interactive artwork for pets.
Visitors can also participate in workshops on mandala-making, collaborative drawing, soft sculpture, rubber and relief cutting, and other free activities from October 2 to 4 at Gateway Mall 1.
Meanwhile, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said that providing art with a place in public areas served as “a democratization of space and imagination.”
“Today, in spaces around the mall, where people come to shop, eat meat, or simply pass food on their way home, there is an art, and there is art open to everyone who walks in,” the mayor said.
“By embedding nearly a thousand works right into a daily grind of ordinary Filipinos, the Gateway Art Fair redefines what public space can do. It transforms an everyday era into an encounter with beauty, imagination, and national pride,” she added.
First fair awards
This year’s art fair also marked the first Gateway Art Fair Awards, which recognize the creativity of participating artists.
Three exhibitors received awards in three different categories.
Quarto Arts received the “Gateway Art Fair Masterpiece Award” for its outstanding artwork in the exhibit.
The “Breakthrough Artist Award” went to Vice Versa Artists Group for its piece, which offers a unique perspective.
Artist sisters Marj Sula-Aquino and Mathilda Sula-Sun received the “Exhibit of the Year Award” for the best-designed booth.
Now in its fifth edition, the art event was presented by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation, Gateway Gallery and Araneta City and co-presented by Metrobank.