For art's sake

Artists are usually solitary creatures, alone in their universe during the process of creating an artwork. Yet artists are also very communal, sharing resources with open arms, open hearts and open wallets, never asking for promissory notes or charging interest or calling about due dates. This is particularly true when an artist is faced with a dire need, such as a medical emergency; the hat is passed among artist-friends, and inevitably the hat comes back full, even though those to whom the hat is passed rarely have money to spare. They hold fund-raising events – concerts, exhibits, auctions – to help out a fellow artist in need, and everybody comes, everybody pitches in, and in the process a good time is had by all. Unfortunately, such emergency situations happen all too often, and such ad hoc measures are far from ideal.

The Artist’s Welfare Project Inc. came about following one such emergency, when a group of artists realized that something must be done to give artists some kind of security in terms of health care, of having a roof over their heads, and money to live on when they get old and can no longer dance or sing or act or paint. AWPI has lofty goals; as trustee Edna Vida-Froilan says, “I have a dream” – of affordable housing for artists, of health insurance, of pensions, even of legal assistance when needed and financial management advice, which more often than not artists do not have.

While the dreams are lofty, the beginnings are realistic: enrolment in the national health and social security programs, leading to possible health insurance coverage. Not even a year old, AWPI is trying to build up its nest egg in order to be able to extend and sustain benefits for its artist-members. Fund-raising has come not surprisingly in most creative ways: trustees donate proceeds from their shows, one even used the occasion of a testimonial to raise awareness of and funds for AWPI.

On Nov. 29, a Saturday, the artists will come together for a super-tiangge/bazaar/arts happening at the CCP grounds from 7 in the morning to 6 in the evening, with booths selling an array of goods that only artists can assemble, as creative an array of merchandise as the likes of Grace Nono, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Karina David, Nina Tesoro-Poblador, Nanding Josef and others can assemble. It’ll be high-style meets kitsch, designer meets urban poor cooperative, specialty kitchen meets native delicacies. There will be performances too throughout the day.

One thing’s for sure – a good time will be had by all, and it will all be for art’s – and the artists’ – sake.