After a month-long of rigid hands-on mentoring and training in key work areas of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the 2022 Kaisa sa Sining (KSS) Apprenticeship Program was culminated.
Launched in 2018 and continued to 2021, the program has provided mentorship for 102 apprentices from 35 provinces all over the country. Specifically designed for the arts and culture practitioners from the CCP KSS regional art centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the program aims to provide support to the CCP KSS regional art centers in advancing the culture, arts, and theater management in the regions and enhance their competence level and skills.
In 2020-2021, the program took a new form as a result of the ongoing pandemic and quarantine. The mentorship was done virtually and utilized the new media platforms to engage the participants from different provinces. For 2022, twenty apprentices were selected from the two virtual editions to come to Manila/CCP to complete their apprenticeship on production management, production design, venue operations, and technical theater. Face to Face sessions were conducted from June 7-28 facilitated by CCP’s in house experts to include Ricardo Eric Cruz (Production Design), Dominique Torres (Production Management), the Venue Operations team led by Jocel Pacada and CED’s technical team Arnelio “Doods” Manzano and Orlan Absin. The CED also organized a cultural tour in Bataan and Zambales on the 2nd week of the program.
After the apprentices’ general assembly last June 24, CCP CED Department Manager Carmencita “Chinggay” J. Bernardo shared “It was very touching to hear the good insights from the apprentices especially how the month-long program has transformed them as better, more equipped and revitalized arts teachers, managers and cultural leaders. As we near your graduation next week, we wish you all good luck in your quest for a more vibrant and socially relevant creative industry in the local communities.”
The 19 apprentices came from nine (9) local communities: Biñan-Laguna, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Cuartero and Roxas-Capiz, Bacolod, Iligan, Pagadian-Zamboanga del Sur, and Koronadal-South Cotabato. With CCP continuously opening its doors for the regional practitioners to gain more knowledge and become more skilled at the different work areas in arts, culture and theater management, the flourishing of arts, culture and theater programs, events and activities all over the country are anticipated.
The CCP CED organized the 2022 KSS Apprenticeship Program in partnership with the Sining Bulakenyo Pangkat Mananayaw Inc.