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Creating and consuming art by and for yourself feeds the soul, but it can be amplified in communities. That is exactly what happened at the Tapok Tapok Art Fair 2023.
A truly refreshing sight was witnessed by the local art community and casual mall-goers alike last February 25 to 26, 2023 for the Davao Graphic Designer Community’s (DGDC) comeback event, the Tapok Tapok Art Fair. Abreeza Ayala Mall’s GF Resto row bustled with enthusiasm as the public swarmed different booths and greeted each other with their most colorful smiles.
The two-day art fair had an impressive lineup of events. As per the event name and event lead Resa Embutin, it is a gathering of local artists practicing all art forms. The event featured local art merchants, a poster-making contest, sticker barter, poetry reading, an art exhibit, and a live mural painting featuring some of Davao’s best and rising muralists, ONI, RESA, OVER, SEEK, and Troy Bascon.
Tapok Tapok did not only aim to entertain the general public and empower artists by giving them a space to be creative, but it also made sure that people will also learn about the nitty-gritty creative industry. Participants for the Designers Meet-up enjoyed very enriching talks by Niley Bacolcol (Game Development), Melardz Vee Sumi-Og (Underwater Photography Basics), Chris Duco (Creative Process in shooting a pre-wedding video), Marjune Demetrio (Enabling Small Businesses through Branding and Packaging), and John Amor (Making comics/webcomics).
What’s striking from the expert panel was their emphasis on creating your own identity through your art and that this is only possible by taking a leap of faith into sharing your art with others. As Cris Duco said, “a step is always a step.”
Empowering the local art community through well-visioned events like this is a must if we want our local arts scene to flourish. In the process, we’re not only letting the community take space, but we’re also helping out every artist find their own voice.
Tapok Tapok Art Fair 2023 was made possible with event partners and sponsors Ayala Malls Abreeza, Timewrap Film Productions, Tactiv Studios, Café Larisse, and Balay Coffee Co.