Foreign artists from the United States, Britain, Italy and other countries are expected to attend the 2nd Dumaguete Open Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition 2007 that reels off Sunday, at the Quezon Park in Dumaguete City.

The activity is an offshoot of the successful holding of the first terracotta art festival and competition last year, Danilo Sollesta, festival director, said in a press release.

The competition highlights the livelihood potentials of locales considering that clay, the traditional medium used by artists, is abundant in Dumaguete and other parts of the province. The event which has drawn interests from artists, cultural workers and art enthusiasts from all over the country, has also gained support from respected foreign artists-Dr. Skeff Thomas of U.S.A., Dionisio Cimarelli of Italy, Meri Anicin Pejoska of the Republic of Macedonia, Toushin Maruyama of Japan, Peter Bevan of U.K., Entang Wiharso, Andita Purnama Sari Adita, and Jenny Lee of Indonesia and Joyce Fan of Singapore, Sollesta said.

They will be here not only to participate in the special traveling exhibition at Mariyah Gallery and the exhibit and competition at the Foyer Gallery, Luce Auditorium of Silliman University, but will also lecture and share their expertise on the terracotta medium to local artists, educators, students and cultural workers, the press release said.

Maruyama will also conduct free workshops especially to under-privileged youths and school children. He is supported by Japan Foundation, Manila .

The Terracotta Biennial will run from July 8-12, 2007 and will also feature Tampo Lapuk, an art exhibition of paintings, video, and installations by artists from all over the country at Foundation University .

A pre-biennial activity, KUYUG: an art exhibition at Coco Amigo, Rizal Boulevard will open on July 7 at 5 in the afternoon, which has organized the artists of Dumaguete and other artists of Negros island headed by Susan Canoy, Visayas Islands Visual Artists Exhibit and Conference coordinator for Negros Oriental.

The competition proper will see two separate events -- the competition on terra cotta sculptures which will be participated in by foreign and local artists and the competition on large jars which will be participated in by potters from the different localities of Negros island.

The city has raised Php150,000.00 for the terracotta sculpture open competition and Php 30,000 for the Local Potters Jar Making Competition, respectively.

On Biennial's opening day there will be performances at the Quezon Park that will be contributions from the cultural sectors of the province, notably Silliman University Dance Troupe, Foundation University Cultural Committee, Barangay Cangmating Cultural group, Negros Oriental State University Cultural Committee, and St. Paul University Cultural Committee, Barangay Cadawinonan Kabulakan Festival Entry, with special participation of the PAHUKOT Ritual of the town of Zamboanguita.

The 2nd Dumaguete Open Biennial Terracotta Art Festival and Competition 2007 will be launched on July 8 at the Quezon Park at 8:30 a.m. by Dumaguete Mayor Agustin Perdices, Governor Emilio Macias III, Ambeth Ocampo of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Artists Napoleon Abueva and Dr. Edith L. Tiempo will be present. *JG

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