Museo Antiqueño wins Sentro ng Sining Grant
Still in its incomplete stage, Antique's provincial museum is recognized as a Sentro ng Sining by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in this year's National Arts Month celebration. The awarding rites was held in Cebu on February 3.
The Museo Antiqueño housed in Antique's old capitol building was chosen from among entries ranging from amphitheatre, museum, school buildings, capitols and ancestral houses. The competitive grant was opened to all local government units that have performance or exhibition venues that encourage production of cultural events and stimulate local artists and the public to engage in creative activities. The winners were chosen based on a number of features that show how well the site addresses the requirements of the competition, the special character of the venue, its architectural value.Considered too was how well the organizers presented the outstanding qualities of the structures in their proposals.
Alex C. Delos Santos, consultant on cultural and historical affairs of the province, prepared the proposal highlighting the use of the old halls as galleries and the inner courtyard as performance area. He also presented the initial work they had done on the EBJ Gallery which was opened on October 31 last year.
The provincial museum shall receive a prize of 100,000 Php and a marble plaque designating the building as a Sentro ng Sining. Museo Antiqueño is among Governor Sally Zaldivar Perez's priority projects, as a fitting symbol of the province's rich cultural heritage.