Women-empowered WOMEN

"There is no such thing as art for art's sake." Sikabay adheres to this art theory that there is no absolute autonomy of art.

Sining ng Kababaihan para sa Bayan (Sikabay) is a cultural-art organization of Theresian women artists advocating people's art, composed of and led by women-empowering women. Sikabay promotes the concept of  "art for the masses or people's art," portraying the images of the Filipino - peasants, workers, cultural minorities, and other marginalized sectors of the society is a significant motivation of the organization.

 Last year, they had organized a forum on Reproductive Health and Human Rights in St. Theresa's College-Cebu. They have also tapped Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) like Children's Legal Bureau (CLB) and had a forum against human trafficking by Margot Osmeña.

According to Eunice Amorado, President of Sikabay, they are recently segregating their members to four committees: music, performing arts, visual arts and literary arts. But even if the members are assigned to different committees, they still had this common goal that the artists and their corresponding art possess a penetrating eye for the prevalent social contradictions. Aside from that, they too are having an Educational Discussion on different societal issues like Human Security Act and Child Trafficking. They also will hold workshops on basic drawing and musical instruments.  They are making an album containing progressive music that will be launched this year.  The members themselves composed the songs. "The music in the album is not merely to entertain but is a tool to open the eyes of the listeners to the reality we all are facing today," Ms. Amorado confides.

Sikabay gives emphasis on nationalist art - that art should be based on the present social realities and on a critical assessment of the past. "Such will better help the artist, who is also a citizen, understand one's self, one's culture and perhaps can reflect on which direction the future of the artist shall steer," Ms. Amorado says.

Most of the energy and idealism of Sikabay are coming from a sense of commitment to an alternative art. It is one that would bring back "the vitality of art as a lifeblood that circulates through the entire national body by restoring the meaningfulness and relevance to the people and to their lives;" and oppositional art that would be in contrast to the hegemony, commercialism and elitism of prevailing gallery art.