Philippines Design + Build Studio: Having Fun Fundraising

Over the course of the year, fundraising for Estudio Damgo program has been a large part of my role as a Project Manager. Looking at our cost estimate last August 2013, it was evident that we needed to think seriously about securing funds for the construction which was fast approaching. We had little roll over funds from the first project, which would be used up by permitting and site mobilization costs. I took the initiative to get the local community involved by organizing an art walk and a benefit concert to bring more awareness and local support to our program.

ARTWalk: Art for a Cause: November 14, 2013

Teaming up with the Fine Arts Department, Hersley Casero and I (as the HA experiment) organized a 7 venue exhibit in Dumaguate City featuring 34 artists and over 120 artworks. This was the largest show of its kind in the city. The show launched on November 14, 2013 at Captain Ribbers. The art walk, was organized similar to other artist communities, like Seattle's "First Thursday's" and Minneapolis's "Art Crawl". The ARTWalk: Art for a Cause was a great success! For those who participated, many wanted to know when the next art walk was going to take place. Over fifty people attended the launch party and walked to several of the venues to view the works. The exhibit was up for two months at most venues. We raised over P30,000 altogether and a portion of those funds were donated to Estudio Damgo construction costs. But most of all, we raised the bar in Dumaguete's local arts scene and the awareness for the Estudio Damgo program.

Thanks to all the supporting venues, contributing artists, supporting patrons, and art enthusiasts!

Participating Venues: The Bean Connection (two locations), Cafe Memento, Captain Ribbers, Cafe Mamia, Kri Restaurant, and SG Bank.

Special thanks to Mark Reygan Garcia and Captain Ribbers for hosting the launch party, and for the positive encouragement at the conception of this ambitious show.

Thank you Ian Rosales Casocot for the blog review, entitled "A Map for an Art Tour"

Read a student's reaction, called "An Artwalker's Perspective". I share in his vision of "Dumaguete as the Artwalking city of the Philippines"! (for those who don't have facebook)

An Artwalker's Perspective - by Basilianesk Sisneros (November 18, 2013 | 8:07pm)

Throughout My life I've never wanted anything more than scribbling doodles on worn-out paper and putting colors on anything white, Ive always been an artist from the very beginning, hell I might have been making art long before I was born (shocker!) anyway I've recently joined a "revolution" and an innovation at the same time here in my hometown, Dumaguete and its called "ARTWALK" it's an art exhibit for a cause to raise awareness that having art around is COOL and helping others at the same time through having a charity event as well... and frankly I freakin' love it, I mean there's so much too see! a myriad of artists, majority of which I've never even know em' in person...

As a budding artist this is a great achievement! not only I can help people of those in need, I also get to showcase my artworks to people of my hometown. It's amazing to see other works as well just like this one.

Put yourself as the paintbrush, and color the world.

I wanted to see more of this the future, and hopefully when it does Dumaguete will be known as the city of "artwalking".

Watch this video interview with Hersley Casero and myself discussing the art walk. Artwalk for a Cause

Launch Party at Captain Ribbers, one of 7 venues hosting the ARTWalk exhibit.

ARTWalk participants and artists going between art venues. Pictured: Anna Koosmann, Benzi Florendo, Anna Lacson, Hans deBarres, Emmy Lou (Empalz), and David Teves.

Chao Bacong receives a Balloon series painting from Anna Koosmann for being the first local donor for Estudio Damgo Multipurpose Hall.

Anna Koosmann and Hersley-Ven Casero pictured with Australian patrons. For the first ten people to buy artwork at the ARTWalk, they receive a Balloon series painting by me.

Crowding KRI restaurant to view the House Project paintings organized by Hersley-Ven Casero.

I sold my first artwork, the House Project - Pagka-Pinay series, to a couple in Manila. The painting is a scene of a father and daughter in a window of one of the homes at Core Shelter site where the new Multipurpose Hall is built. Pictured: Arlene Delloso-Uypitching, Anna Koosmann, Luna and Sir Inocian. - Photo by Hersley-Ven Casero

At Captain Ribbers, Hersley and I of the HA experiment sell two abstract artworks from our collaboration Stay series.

A Benefit Concert on the Green: December 14, 2013

Estudio Damgo's Benefit Concert was one of the largest shows put on by Foundation University in many years. The concert featured 7 local musicians, with HOPIA Band as the headliner. The concert served as an opportunity for HOPIA to launch their first self-titled album while also raising funds for the Multipurpose Hall. Among the musicians were four dance troupes that performed between bands. It was a night of continuous entertainment from all types of music genres, dance numbers, fire dancing, and fireworks display, all in the spirit of giving back to community. During the show, we collectively held a one-minute-of silence to reflect on recent calamities from Bohol's earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan. We were able to raise about 1/3 of our construction costs from the benefit concert. As the saying goes, "it's more fun in the Philippines"!

Thanks to all the organizers to make this remarkable show happen, as smoothly as possible.
To the student body and the FU Deans making it possible to meet our funding goals!

Thanks to contributing, local musicians: HOPIA Band, Ground Zero, Xaris, Jay Squad, the Transformers, Nicky Dumapit and Company, and Sir Babbu.

If there's one thing I've learned about putting on a concert in the Philippines, there must be dance troupes and token prizes! And if possible fireworks! - We made it all happen that night.

Nicky Dumapit and Company open the concert with a 1 minute of silence to send collective prayers to those suffering or at loss from the recent calamities.

All girl band, Xaris, sent chills through the crowd with their all girl power punk sound.

Many raffles were offered during the concert, including venues supporting the ARTWalk: coupons from Cafe' Memento, Kri, and the Bean Connection. Also prizes from an outdoor store called Habagat, and to trump it all, an IPad mini from Foundation University's president.