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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

3 days ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎨✨ AAF Joins the Celebration of National Arts Month 2026 ✨🎨This February, the Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) proudly supports the celebration of National Arts Month 2026, anchored on the theme “Ani ng Sining: Katotohanan at Giting” (Art’s Harvest: Truth and Valor).The theme underscores how the arts uphold truth, inspire courage, and strengthen collaboration, values that resonate deeply with our work in Albay and the wider Bicol region. Through art, we tell honest stories, honor lived experiences, and build communities grounded in shared purpose.Throughout the month, watch out for exhibits, workshops, performances, talks, and community-based programs in partnership with local arts groups, creative communities, and local government units. Together, we continue to cultivate a vibrant cultural ecosystem where creativity becomes both harvest and hope.🌾🎭 Join us in celebrating the power of art to speak truth and embody giting.#NationalArtsMonth2026 #AniNgSining #KatotohananAtGiting #AAF #AlbayArtsMonth #CreativeAlbay #BicolArts #SupportTheArts ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

1 week ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎓✨ AAF | Culminating Session of the Curatorial Class with Marian Pastor-Roces ✨🎓The Albay Arts Foundation proudly marks the final session of the Curatorial Class led by renowned Independent Curator Marian Pastor-Roces—a milestone moment for museum and curatorial practice in the region.The session featured the presentation of Trustee Victor Velasco’s Artwork Assembly, offering students a rare preview of collection and curatorial decision-making. This was followed by an in-depth discussion on Curatorial Policy, grounding practice in ethics, care, and institutional responsibility.Students also presented their proposed curatorial projects, reflecting months of learning, research, and dialogue—each proposal pointing to thoughtful, place-based futures for exhibitions in Bicol.The day concluded with the awarding of certificates and the pinning of the Pioneer Batch of the Bicol Curators Guild, formally welcoming a new generation of curation advocates committed to critical practice and regional narratives.The session was attended by AAF President Rafael Buemia, Museum Consultant Marian Pastor-Roces, AAF board members, and participating students—an inspiring convergence of mentorship, leadership, and shared vision.This marks not an end, but a beginning. 🌱For AAF, this affirms our commitment to strengthening curatorial practice, museum education, and cultural stewardship in Albay and the wider Bicol region.#AAF #CuratorialPractice #BicolCuratorsGuild #MarianPastorRoces #MuseumEducation #CreativeAlbay ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

2 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
📖 Children’s Literature & PlaceFeature: Magayon: A Tale of Childhood, Friendship, and Courage by Yva Cabredo BalacanoStories shape how we understand the places we grow up in and in Albay, Mayon Volcano is one of the first stories we learn to love. 🌋In Magayon, young author Yva Cabredo Balacano, a Grade 6 homeschooler who loves history, math, reading, daydreaming, and story-writing, reimagines the legend of Mayon through the eyes of courage, friendship, and growing up.Daughter of AAF members Antonio Lorena Balacano Jr. and Ivy Cabredo Balacano, Yva writes from a place deeply familiar to many Albayanos—where tales of Magayon are passed down at home, in school, and in quiet moments of wonder while gazing at the volcano. In her book, Magayon is portrayed not just as a legend, but as a young woman little girls can look up to: brave, compassionate, and strong in the face of challenges.At Albay Arts Foundation (AAF), we believe creativity begins early. We proudly support creative writing not only among grown-ups, but also among children—because stories told by young voices keep our culture alive, meaningful, and hopeful for the future.✨ May Yva’s Magayon inspire more children to write their own stories about the land, legends, and dreams they believe in.Her book Magayon: A Tale of Childhood, Friendship, and Courage is available at Mamma Rose Hotel, please message us for details.#magayon #YvaBalacano #MayonVolcano #AlbayArtsFoundation ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

2 weeks 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

3 weeks 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

3 weeks 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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Cover for Albay Arts Foundation
1,738
Albay Arts Foundation

Albay Arts Foundation

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

Albay Arts Foundation

3 days ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎨✨ AAF Joins the Celebration of National Arts Month 2026 ✨🎨This February, the Albay Arts Foundation (AAF) proudly supports the celebration of National Arts Month 2026, anchored on the theme “Ani ng Sining: Katotohanan at Giting” (Art’s Harvest: Truth and Valor).The theme underscores how the arts uphold truth, inspire courage, and strengthen collaboration, values that resonate deeply with our work in Albay and the wider Bicol region. Through art, we tell honest stories, honor lived experiences, and build communities grounded in shared purpose.Throughout the month, watch out for exhibits, workshops, performances, talks, and community-based programs in partnership with local arts groups, creative communities, and local government units. Together, we continue to cultivate a vibrant cultural ecosystem where creativity becomes both harvest and hope.🌾🎭 Join us in celebrating the power of art to speak truth and embody giting.#NationalArtsMonth2026 #AniNgSining #KatotohananAtGiting #AAF #AlbayArtsMonth #CreativeAlbay #BicolArts #SupportTheArts ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

1 week ago

Albay Arts Foundation
🎓✨ AAF | Culminating Session of the Curatorial Class with Marian Pastor-Roces ✨🎓The Albay Arts Foundation proudly marks the final session of the Curatorial Class led by renowned Independent Curator Marian Pastor-Roces—a milestone moment for museum and curatorial practice in the region.The session featured the presentation of Trustee Victor Velasco’s Artwork Assembly, offering students a rare preview of collection and curatorial decision-making. This was followed by an in-depth discussion on Curatorial Policy, grounding practice in ethics, care, and institutional responsibility.Students also presented their proposed curatorial projects, reflecting months of learning, research, and dialogue—each proposal pointing to thoughtful, place-based futures for exhibitions in Bicol.The day concluded with the awarding of certificates and the pinning of the Pioneer Batch of the Bicol Curators Guild, formally welcoming a new generation of curation advocates committed to critical practice and regional narratives.The session was attended by AAF President Rafael Buemia, Museum Consultant Marian Pastor-Roces, AAF board members, and participating students—an inspiring convergence of mentorship, leadership, and shared vision.This marks not an end, but a beginning. 🌱For AAF, this affirms our commitment to strengthening curatorial practice, museum education, and cultural stewardship in Albay and the wider Bicol region.#AAF #CuratorialPractice #BicolCuratorsGuild #MarianPastorRoces #MuseumEducation #CreativeAlbay ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

2 weeks ago

Albay Arts Foundation
📖 Children’s Literature & PlaceFeature: Magayon: A Tale of Childhood, Friendship, and Courage by Yva Cabredo BalacanoStories shape how we understand the places we grow up in and in Albay, Mayon Volcano is one of the first stories we learn to love. 🌋In Magayon, young author Yva Cabredo Balacano, a Grade 6 homeschooler who loves history, math, reading, daydreaming, and story-writing, reimagines the legend of Mayon through the eyes of courage, friendship, and growing up.Daughter of AAF members Antonio Lorena Balacano Jr. and Ivy Cabredo Balacano, Yva writes from a place deeply familiar to many Albayanos—where tales of Magayon are passed down at home, in school, and in quiet moments of wonder while gazing at the volcano. In her book, Magayon is portrayed not just as a legend, but as a young woman little girls can look up to: brave, compassionate, and strong in the face of challenges.At Albay Arts Foundation (AAF), we believe creativity begins early. We proudly support creative writing not only among grown-ups, but also among children—because stories told by young voices keep our culture alive, meaningful, and hopeful for the future.✨ May Yva’s Magayon inspire more children to write their own stories about the land, legends, and dreams they believe in.Her book Magayon: A Tale of Childhood, Friendship, and Courage is available at Mamma Rose Hotel, please message us for details.#magayon #YvaBalacano #MayonVolcano #AlbayArtsFoundation ... See MoreSee Less

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Albay Arts Foundation

2 weeks 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

3 weeks 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

3 weeks 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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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

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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.