Saturday, 5 October 2024

Philippine Creative Industries Month Celebration Culminates in a Two-Day Creative Nation Summit

 

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the British Council joined forces to deliver a transformative event—the Creative Nation Summit 2024, bringing together the brightest minds and leaders from across the creative industries from 30 September to 1 October at the Rizal Park Hotel, Manila City.

With over five hundred industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, and creative professionals from both the public and private sectors, this two-day event served as a culmination activity for the celebration of 2024 Philippine Creative Industries Month (PCIM) themed #WeAreACreativeNation.

The Summit aimed to ignite discussions on the future of the country's creative economy, exploring strategies to harness the full potential of the creative industries to drive economic growth and cultural development.


Day 1 of the Summit focused on Creative Technology (CreateTech), emphasizing the convergence of art and technology. Sessions on advancements in VR, AR, AI, and other digital tools equipped Filipino creatives with the skills and knowledge to enhance content creation, productivity, and market reach.

Day 2 delved into Creative and Cultural Statistics and Creative Placemaking, highlighting the need for accurate data and statistics to inform policy decisions and showcasing the value of integrating arts into building creative ecosystems, which can promote economic vitality, social cohesion, and community development.

[L-R: NCCA Deputy Executive Director Marichu Tellano, DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba, British Council Country
Director Lotus Postrado and His Majesty's Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau, Laure Beaufils]

Dr. Rafaelita M. Aldaba, Undersecretary for the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group, emphasized the country’s roadmap toward becoming Asia’s leading creative hub. “To seize the opportunities in the creative industries, the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act and the Philippine Creative Industries Development Plan focus on fostering next-gen creative capacities, building creative ecosystems, boosting entrepreneurship through R&D and tech, regenerating local economies, promoting collaborations and partnerships, and seizing market opportunities. These efforts are geared towards positioning the Philippines as Asia's premier creative hub by 2030,” said Usec. Aldaba.

Speaking on behalf of NCCA Chair Victorino Manalo, Deputy Executive Director Marichu Tellano underscored that the summit is only the beginning of a sustained effort to support the creative economy. “Creativity is embedded in everyday life and is a vital ingredient, strategy, driver, and soul of meaningful development. In this summit, we create space for comprehensive and inclusive discussions on shaping a bright future for the creative economy in the Philippines,” said Tellano.

Lotus Postrado, Country Director of the British Council, emphasized the importance of partnerships in advancing the creative economy and reaffirmed the UK’s support for the Philippines. "By connecting local creatives and policymakers with global best practices, this summit becomes a platform to engage in forward-thinking discussions about the opportunities and challenges ahead. At the British Council, we are committed to fostering collaboration, promoting cultural exchange, and supporting the growth of Filipino creative industries on the global stage,” said Postrado.


The event was also graced by His Majesty's Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau, Laure Beaufils, who expressed continued strong commitment to the country’s creative vision. “For the past three years, I’ve traveled across the Philippines and been consistently inspired by the creativity and talent here—whether in music, dance, food, arts, or film.

The potential is immense, and it’s fitting that we celebrate and think deeply about how we can further support the creative agenda and unleash the heritage, traditions, and culture upon which it is based,” said Beaufils.

Other key speakers included Dr. Marisa Henderson, Chief, Trade & Creative Economy Section, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Mr. Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, Head of Arts, British Council Philippines; Mr. Graham Hitchen, Director of Policy and Professor of Practice, Loughborough University; Dr. Simon Ellis, Consultant to UNESCO; Mr. Tom Kihl, Partner, The Wick and Managing Director, The Loco; Ms. Esme Palaganas, Fellow, Salzburg Global Seminar for Culture, Arts, and Society’s Program on Art, AI, and Governance; Mr. John Christopher Mesana, Research Faculty, National University-Philippines; and Mr. Emerson M. Aquino, OIC - Division Chief, Philippine Statistics Authority.

The Summit was also attended by key figures such as Cong. Christopher “Toff” De Venecia, Principal Author of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA); Gabriel Pablo Malvar and Architect Conrad T. Onglao of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council; Mr. Guoliang Yang, Minister Counselor from the Embassy of China; and along with representatives from DOLE, DICT, TESDA, CHED, the Design Center of the Philippines, Benilde HIFI, CIIT College of Arts and Technology, and Likhaan.
 

The 2024 PCIM featured over 100 co-branded and co-bannered events, engaging thousands of creative workers and reaching millions of Filipinos nationwide, underscoring the vibrant and dynamic state of the Philippine creative industries.

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