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Welcome to the
Albay Arts Foundation

The Albay Arts Foundation Inc. (AAFI or AAF) is a non-government non-profit organization formed in 2022 by private individuals who envision to harness the capabilities of the arts in supporting the development of communities.

Welcome to the Albay Arts Foundation

The Albay Arts Foundation Inc. (AAFI or AAF) is a non-government non-profit organization formed in 2022 by private individuals who envision to harness the capabilities of the arts in supporting the development of communities.

Welcome to the Albay Arts Foundation

The Albay Arts Foundation Inc. (AAFI or AAF) is a non-government non-profit organization formed in 2022 by private individuals who envision to harness the capabilities of the arts in supporting the development of communities.

Welcome to the Albay Arts Foundation

The Albay Arts Foundation Inc. (AAFI or AAF) is a non-government non-profit organization formed in 2022 by private individuals who envision to harness the capabilities of the arts in supporting the development of communities.

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Albay Arts Foundation

Albay Arts Foundation

Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) is a vibrant center for visual,
performing, and literary arts.

Albay Arts Foundation

1 day ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🌋 Legend of Mayon: How Story Becomes Cultural Narrative 📖In Bicolano folklore, the majestic Mt. Mayon is not just a volcano — it carries the memory of a timeless legend. According to local tradition, the name Mayon comes from “Daragang Magayon” (beautiful maiden), whose tragic love story is said to have shaped the volcano’s perfectly conical form. In the tale, Magayon and her lover Panganoron met a sorrowful end, and from their resting place the mountain rose — a symbol of enduring love and deep connection to the land.Over generations, this legend became woven into cultural practice and interpretation:📌 Clouds around Mayon are believed to be Panganoron’s embrace of Magayon.📌 Eruptions are seen as emotional echoes of the myths — a narrative that gives meaning to nature’s power and unpredictability.As the volcano continues to shape Albay’s landscape, the Legend of Daragang Magayon endures as a cultural compass — reminding us that storytelling is itself a form of living heritage.“In Bicolano folklore… lava flows and ash clouds [are attributed] to the agitation of the lovers’ spirits,” connecting natural events with human emotion.📍 Share a photo or memory of Mayon (like Kevin Rosanes "Magayon budâ Panganoron"- multiliners on A4 fine art paper) that evokes this legend!Reference: kapwamagazine.com/2023/06/15/a-tale-of-love-destruction-and-beauty-exploring-the-mythology-of-mt-...#BicolFolklore #CulturalNarrative #MayonVolcano #FolkloreInArt #CreativeAlbay ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

6 days ago

Albay Arts Foundation
📜🌋 Mayon in Memory: A Pictorial Story of Disaster and SurvivalA rare 19th-century illustration of the 1814 eruption of Mayon Volcano offers a powerful visual account of one of the most devastating natural disasters in Bicol’s history. As explained by historian Carlos Madrid, the document was conceived as a pictorial storytelling of the catastrophe as seen from Daraga, then known as “Nueva Cagsawa.” Beyond narration, it also functioned as a rough geographical guide—locating destroyed villages and tracing the emergence of new settlements after the eruption.In the illustration, villages, military posts, and church structures are marked in uppercase letters. From the vantage point of Daraga, the drawing situates towns along the downward path of lava flows and depicts incandescent rocks erupting from Mayon. Among the towns shown are Bacacay (U), Libog (V), and Albay (B), while heavily devastated areas include Bubolosan (X), Guinobatan (Y), and Camalig (G). Around Panganiran (Z), the port of Marigandon (R) and ruined military and church structures are also visible.The illustration records not only destruction but resilience. Survivors from Camalig, Madrid notes, were relocated to Tondal (H), later known as Nuevo Camalig—a reminder of how communities rebuilt and redefined themselves in the shadow of Mayon.For Albay Arts Foundation, this image is more than an archive—it is a visual memory of place, loss, and endurance, underscoring how history, geography, and lived experience converge around Mayon Volcano.Read the reference article here: lifestyle.inquirer.net/285353/19th-century-illustration-shows-fury-mayon/#AAF #MayonVolcano #Cagsawa #BicolHistory #CulturalMemory #Heritage #ArtAndHistory ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

1 week ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🗻 Mayon: The Sacred Volcano Par ExcellenceAmidst the increasing activity of Mayon Volcano, we want to dig deep into our understanding about this titan of nature. In this researched essay, AAF member and local historian Kurt Zepeda explains why Mt. Mayon holds a unique place in Philippine belief systems. Unlike other sacred volcanoes in Mindanao and the Visayas—where roles are divided between ancestor spirits or nature deities—Mayon is believed to embody both: the resting place of ancestors’ souls and the earthly abode of a powerful diwata. This dual role made Mayon the spiritual center of precolonial Bikolano cosmology.The article connects Mayon to broader Austronesian traditions, showing how volcano journeys symbolized complex afterlife paths, social order, and agricultural cycles. Zepeda also traces how early Christian patron saints around Mayon subtly replaced the functions of the ancient deity Mayong, linking the volcano to rice cultivation, war, sacrifice, and renewal—themes that persist in local legends up to today.✨ Why it matters:Mayon is not just a natural wonder—it is a sacred landscape where belief, survival, violence, fertility, and memory converge.“This makes Mayon the sacred volcano par excellence and its centrality in Bikol animist religion cannot be overemphasized.”#MayonVolcano #BicolHeritage #SacredLandscapes #PhilippineMythology #CreativeAlbaywww.facebook.com/share/p/1ASm7MMh7z/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

3 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
We end the year on a high note! 🌿🎨The Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) is proud to announce that we are an official grantee of the NCCA Competitive Grants Program 2026 for the project LIKHA-LIKAS: Sining at Kalikasan sa Albay Art Residency.This milestone affirms our shared vision of advancing the arts while deepening our connection to nature, culture, and community. Set to be implemented in May 2026, Likha-Likas will create meaningful spaces for artists to engage with Albay’s landscapes and stories—strengthening the creative ecosystem of Bicol.Thank you to our partners, artists, and supporters who continue to believe in the power of art to shape a more grounded and sustainable future. Padagos an sining. Padagos an kultura.#AlbayArtsFoundation #LikhaLikas #NCCAGrantee #BicolArts #SiningAtKalikasan ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

4 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎄 A Christmas Eve Reflection: Simple Meals, Bold Hope 🕯️This Christmas Eve, the Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) shares a moment of quiet grace from our collection: "Evening Meal" (1955) by Filipino Master Gabriel Custodio.In the countryside, Noche Buena isn’t always a grand feast. For many, it is a humble gathering—a simple meal shared under a single light, fueled by contentment and the warmth of family. 🍚🐟While we celebrate the beauty of simplicity, we also recognize the resilience of those who deserve more.This season, we call for:✨ Accountability from our leaders to ensure no table is left empty.✨ True Progress that reaches the farthest barrios, not just the city centers.✨ An End to Corruption, so the wealth of the nation serves the dignity of its people.Let us be content with what we have, but never complacent about the justice our fellow citizens deserve.🎨 About the Artist: Gabriel Custodio (1912–1993) A protégé of Fernando Amorsolo, Custodio was a master of the thick impasto technique. In 1955—the same year he painted this masterpiece—he won the United Nations International Art Competition. His work remains a powerful tribute to the soul of Filipino rural life.From all of us at AAF, have a meaningful and reflective Christmas Eve. ⭐#AAFCollection #GabrielCustodio #PhilippineArt #ChristmasEve2025 #NocheBuena #Accountability #SocialJusticeArt #FilipinoMaster ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

4 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎄✨ Panunuluyan: A Living Christmas Tradition ✨🎶Panunuluyan (or locally called "Panharong-harong") is an old and deeply meaningful Filipino Christmas Eve tradition—a dramatic and musical reenactment of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem on the night before the birth of Jesus Christ.Through sung dialogue, the characters of Mary and Joseph go from house to house, seeking shelter for the night. They usually visit three or four households, each one denying them entry for different reasons: the house is full, the place is unfit, the master is away, or it is unsafe to welcome strangers at night. The ritual traditionally ends at midnight, just before the start of the Christmas Midnight Mass.Panunuluyan remains commonly practiced in many towns of Camarines Sur, where some communities still go house to house—sometimes even using actual small horses as part of the procession.As this beautiful tradition continues to diminish in many areas, Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) strongly advocates for its preservation. Panunuluyan is more than a performance—it is a living expression of faith, hospitality, creativity, and community life.May this tradition continue to be passed on and kept alive for the next generations. 🌟#AlbayArtsFoundation #Panunuluyan #Panuluyan #FilipinoChristmas #LivingTraditions #BicolCulture #CamarinesSur #CulturalHeritage #FaithAndCulture ... See MoreSee Less

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Cover for Albay Arts Foundation
1,733
Albay Arts Foundation

Albay Arts Foundation

Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) is a vibrant center for visual,
performing, and literary arts.

Albay Arts Foundation

1 day ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🌋 Legend of Mayon: How Story Becomes Cultural Narrative 📖In Bicolano folklore, the majestic Mt. Mayon is not just a volcano — it carries the memory of a timeless legend. According to local tradition, the name Mayon comes from “Daragang Magayon” (beautiful maiden), whose tragic love story is said to have shaped the volcano’s perfectly conical form. In the tale, Magayon and her lover Panganoron met a sorrowful end, and from their resting place the mountain rose — a symbol of enduring love and deep connection to the land.Over generations, this legend became woven into cultural practice and interpretation:📌 Clouds around Mayon are believed to be Panganoron’s embrace of Magayon.📌 Eruptions are seen as emotional echoes of the myths — a narrative that gives meaning to nature’s power and unpredictability.As the volcano continues to shape Albay’s landscape, the Legend of Daragang Magayon endures as a cultural compass — reminding us that storytelling is itself a form of living heritage.“In Bicolano folklore… lava flows and ash clouds [are attributed] to the agitation of the lovers’ spirits,” connecting natural events with human emotion.📍 Share a photo or memory of Mayon (like Kevin Rosanes "Magayon budâ Panganoron"- multiliners on A4 fine art paper) that evokes this legend!Reference: kapwamagazine.com/2023/06/15/a-tale-of-love-destruction-and-beauty-exploring-the-mythology-of-mt-...#BicolFolklore #CulturalNarrative #MayonVolcano #FolkloreInArt #CreativeAlbay ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

6 days ago

Albay Arts Foundation
📜🌋 Mayon in Memory: A Pictorial Story of Disaster and SurvivalA rare 19th-century illustration of the 1814 eruption of Mayon Volcano offers a powerful visual account of one of the most devastating natural disasters in Bicol’s history. As explained by historian Carlos Madrid, the document was conceived as a pictorial storytelling of the catastrophe as seen from Daraga, then known as “Nueva Cagsawa.” Beyond narration, it also functioned as a rough geographical guide—locating destroyed villages and tracing the emergence of new settlements after the eruption.In the illustration, villages, military posts, and church structures are marked in uppercase letters. From the vantage point of Daraga, the drawing situates towns along the downward path of lava flows and depicts incandescent rocks erupting from Mayon. Among the towns shown are Bacacay (U), Libog (V), and Albay (B), while heavily devastated areas include Bubolosan (X), Guinobatan (Y), and Camalig (G). Around Panganiran (Z), the port of Marigandon (R) and ruined military and church structures are also visible.The illustration records not only destruction but resilience. Survivors from Camalig, Madrid notes, were relocated to Tondal (H), later known as Nuevo Camalig—a reminder of how communities rebuilt and redefined themselves in the shadow of Mayon.For Albay Arts Foundation, this image is more than an archive—it is a visual memory of place, loss, and endurance, underscoring how history, geography, and lived experience converge around Mayon Volcano.Read the reference article here: lifestyle.inquirer.net/285353/19th-century-illustration-shows-fury-mayon/#AAF #MayonVolcano #Cagsawa #BicolHistory #CulturalMemory #Heritage #ArtAndHistory ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

1 week ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🗻 Mayon: The Sacred Volcano Par ExcellenceAmidst the increasing activity of Mayon Volcano, we want to dig deep into our understanding about this titan of nature. In this researched essay, AAF member and local historian Kurt Zepeda explains why Mt. Mayon holds a unique place in Philippine belief systems. Unlike other sacred volcanoes in Mindanao and the Visayas—where roles are divided between ancestor spirits or nature deities—Mayon is believed to embody both: the resting place of ancestors’ souls and the earthly abode of a powerful diwata. This dual role made Mayon the spiritual center of precolonial Bikolano cosmology.The article connects Mayon to broader Austronesian traditions, showing how volcano journeys symbolized complex afterlife paths, social order, and agricultural cycles. Zepeda also traces how early Christian patron saints around Mayon subtly replaced the functions of the ancient deity Mayong, linking the volcano to rice cultivation, war, sacrifice, and renewal—themes that persist in local legends up to today.✨ Why it matters:Mayon is not just a natural wonder—it is a sacred landscape where belief, survival, violence, fertility, and memory converge.“This makes Mayon the sacred volcano par excellence and its centrality in Bikol animist religion cannot be overemphasized.”#MayonVolcano #BicolHeritage #SacredLandscapes #PhilippineMythology #CreativeAlbaywww.facebook.com/share/p/1ASm7MMh7z/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

3 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
We end the year on a high note! 🌿🎨The Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) is proud to announce that we are an official grantee of the NCCA Competitive Grants Program 2026 for the project LIKHA-LIKAS: Sining at Kalikasan sa Albay Art Residency.This milestone affirms our shared vision of advancing the arts while deepening our connection to nature, culture, and community. Set to be implemented in May 2026, Likha-Likas will create meaningful spaces for artists to engage with Albay’s landscapes and stories—strengthening the creative ecosystem of Bicol.Thank you to our partners, artists, and supporters who continue to believe in the power of art to shape a more grounded and sustainable future. Padagos an sining. Padagos an kultura.#AlbayArtsFoundation #LikhaLikas #NCCAGrantee #BicolArts #SiningAtKalikasan ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

4 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎄 A Christmas Eve Reflection: Simple Meals, Bold Hope 🕯️This Christmas Eve, the Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) shares a moment of quiet grace from our collection: "Evening Meal" (1955) by Filipino Master Gabriel Custodio.In the countryside, Noche Buena isn’t always a grand feast. For many, it is a humble gathering—a simple meal shared under a single light, fueled by contentment and the warmth of family. 🍚🐟While we celebrate the beauty of simplicity, we also recognize the resilience of those who deserve more.This season, we call for:✨ Accountability from our leaders to ensure no table is left empty.✨ True Progress that reaches the farthest barrios, not just the city centers.✨ An End to Corruption, so the wealth of the nation serves the dignity of its people.Let us be content with what we have, but never complacent about the justice our fellow citizens deserve.🎨 About the Artist: Gabriel Custodio (1912–1993) A protégé of Fernando Amorsolo, Custodio was a master of the thick impasto technique. In 1955—the same year he painted this masterpiece—he won the United Nations International Art Competition. His work remains a powerful tribute to the soul of Filipino rural life.From all of us at AAF, have a meaningful and reflective Christmas Eve. ⭐#AAFCollection #GabrielCustodio #PhilippineArt #ChristmasEve2025 #NocheBuena #Accountability #SocialJusticeArt #FilipinoMaster ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

4 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎄✨ Panunuluyan: A Living Christmas Tradition ✨🎶Panunuluyan (or locally called "Panharong-harong") is an old and deeply meaningful Filipino Christmas Eve tradition—a dramatic and musical reenactment of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem on the night before the birth of Jesus Christ.Through sung dialogue, the characters of Mary and Joseph go from house to house, seeking shelter for the night. They usually visit three or four households, each one denying them entry for different reasons: the house is full, the place is unfit, the master is away, or it is unsafe to welcome strangers at night. The ritual traditionally ends at midnight, just before the start of the Christmas Midnight Mass.Panunuluyan remains commonly practiced in many towns of Camarines Sur, where some communities still go house to house—sometimes even using actual small horses as part of the procession.As this beautiful tradition continues to diminish in many areas, Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) strongly advocates for its preservation. Panunuluyan is more than a performance—it is a living expression of faith, hospitality, creativity, and community life.May this tradition continue to be passed on and kept alive for the next generations. 🌟#AlbayArtsFoundation #Panunuluyan #Panuluyan #FilipinoChristmas #LivingTraditions #BicolCulture #CamarinesSur #CulturalHeritage #FaithAndCulture ... See MoreSee Less

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art_mnx MnxArt @art_mnx ·
3 Apr 2023

My rough sketch of the suffering "Jesus Christ". Will color paint it and try to finish before Good Friday. 🙂
BG Music:... My digital piano cover of Hesus by Aegis
#Jesus #fanart #colorblindartist #JesusChrist #Messiah #Christian #HolyWeek #Lenten #PianoCover #artph #MnxArt

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_witherbloom mira ; will be open for art commissions! @_witherbloom ·
3 Apr 2023

i swear i do not like cats

#artph #ArtistOnTwitter #digitalart #CatsOfTwitter

4

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_witherbloom mira ; will be open for art commissions! @_witherbloom ·
3 Apr 2023

last january 2021

#artph #ArtistOnTwitter #digitalart

2

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A vibrant cultural center for visual, performing, and literary arts in Albay province.

Established 2022. All rights reserved.

Connect with us

  • 403-A Hampton Court Imperial Ridgeview, Puro 4500 Legazpi City Philippines
  • +639164165335
  • info@albayarts.org

Membership

For information about being part of the AAF community, email us here. 

Transparency

We care about your digital security. Read the AAF Privacy Policy.

A vibrant cultural center for visual, performing, and literary arts in Albay province.

Established 2022. All rights reserved.

Connect with us

  • 403-A Hampton Court Imperial Ridgeview, Puro 4500 Legazpi City Philippines
  • +639164165335
  • info@albayarts.org

Membership

For information about being part of the AAF community, email us here. 

Transparency

We care about your digital security. Read the AAF Privacy Policy.