BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, August 04 (PIA) – Organizations, academic institutions, arts groups, non-government organizations and even local government units are encouraged to submit project proposals for funding aimed at promoting, developing and conserving Philippine culture and the arts.
Officials of the National Commission for the Culture and Arts (NCCA) were recently in Cebu to conduct a Write Shop to assist groups here that are interested to submit project proposals for the NCCA Competitive Grants Program for 2015.
NCCA is the country’s main government agency for arts and culture.
“A P300 million National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts is allocated for the NCCA Competitive Grants Program for next year,” said Rene Napeñas, head of the Public Affairs and Information Office of NCCA.
Projects, however, must capture the NCCA’s vision in the 21st century “Filipino culture as the wellspring of national and global well-being.”
Likewise, project proposals must establish culture as pillar of sustainable development, advance creativity and diversity of artistic expression and promote a strong sense of nationhood and pride in being Filipino through culture and arts.
The following major programs for 2013-2016 have been defined by the NCCA where interested groups can focus their project proposals. These are the Program for Cultural Education, Program for Cultural Diplomacy, Program for Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Program for Culture and Development, and Program for Artistic Excellence and Creativity.
Napeñas said they are targeting 1,000 project proposals nationwide but admitted that between 100 to 200 will only be eligible for funding. “We want to get as many proposals in order to be able to choose the best projects for funding,” he added.
“The funding differs based on the category. The minimal grant given is about P50,000 and the maximum is P300,000,” said Napeñas.
In 2012, the Cebu City Government was a recipient of the grant when its activity, the International Dance Festival was approved for funding.
Deadline for the submission of the project proposals is on August 31.
Interested parties may check the agency’s website www.ncca.gov.ph for further details. (rmn/fcr/PIA-7 with reports from NCCA)