The Gateway Art Fair is marking its fifth year by deepening its mission of making art more accessible, going beyond exhibiting the works of artists, artist groups, galleries, and art schools from Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Two new programs anchor this year's edition, both extending the fair's role from showcasing work to sustaining the people who make it. The first is a capacity-building workshop organized with the Department of Trade and Industry, which will provide artists with marketing tools and other skills to help them develop as creative entrepreneurs. The second is the inaugural Gateway Art Fair Awards, which will recognize participating artists with prizes from Boysen Paint Philippines and Art Bar.

The fair's goal is to provide an artist-driven, community-centered platform where the public can seek out — and seek refuge in — art. The free event, mounted by the J Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF) and Gateway Gallery, runs from Oct. 1 to 4 at Gateway Mall 2 in Quezon City, with free workshops, talks, and art installations held all around Araneta City.

"This year, we have 244 artists and art groups and 36 simultaneous exhibits. It's the biggest so far in the fair's history," JAAF President Rowell Recinto said at a press conference on Sept. 22. "We want this to be a gathering place of stories, perspectives, possibilities, a space where Filipino artists can be seen and heard."

Proceeds from the Gateway Art Fair will support JAAF's arts and culture programs.

Gallery Relocation

Mallgoers can expect another significant change: the Gateway Gallery will be relocating to Gateway Mall 2.

"It will be relocated from Gateway Tower's fifth floor to Gateway Mall 2, just across World Kitchens, in a space spanning over 1,000 square meters," said Diane Romero, executive director of JAAF. "It's going to be an expansive modern museum bringing art straight to the public. Mallgoers will be able to experience art up close."

The is expected to be finalized by November, she added — a timeline that gives the fair's community something concrete to watch for once this year's four-day run ends.

Talks and Workshops

Three days of talks and workshops will take place from Oct. 2 to 4 at Gateway Mall 1, led by participating artists and experts from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts (UP CFA), pairing practitioner experience with academic training.

For UP CFA Dean Toym Imao, the fair is important because of its central, accessible location. "There's a saying that the so-called center of the universe is Cubao. It's a nexus, a portal from the north of Metro Manila to everywhere else," he explained. "Some other art fairs can be a little snobbish. Dito, napakagaan (Here, it's much lighter), and that's the way it should be. It should be a welcoming environment."

He added that bringing self-driven artists not represented by big galleries to a community-centered platform also serves as exposure to art that is not tainted by artificial intelligence (AI).

"If left unchecked, without guardrails, AI poses a serious threat to our artists because it's so easy to outsource creativity to an algorithm. It's so easy to come up with beautiful images out of words and prompts — and that's what's scary about it," Mr. Imao said.

"What's good about this art fair is that it will give us a chance to meet actual creators on site beside their works. You won't find that in the bigger art fairs. I think the aim right now is to strengthen authorship, to still find the authentic creators who make things by hand, who have their own history. This is as close as you can get."

— Brontë H. Lacsamana / BusinessWorld