Creativity is a two-way street with Pasa Pasa 2027
What if an art festival didn’t mean heading to one venue and waiting for an institution to open its doors? What if the greater metropolitan area itself was the creative locus? This is the core concept behind Pasa Pasa 2027, a sprawling citywide creative platform by nonprofit Manila Collective.
From Old Manila to Quezon City, the over a month-long initiative will run from Jan. 9 to Feb. 14, 2027, bringing together Filipino and international artists with the support of the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, AECID Cultura, and Instituto Cervantes. The program will materialize through a range of exhibitions, performances, workshops, residencies, and other opportunities for the community to gather freely, creative spirit in tow.
And instead of concentrating the platform into a single destination, Pasa Pasa 2027 seeks to activate existing, accessible places where people already live and work, from independent studios and cultural spaces to public areas.
Across borders, through art
Spearheading Pasa Pasa 2027 is Manila Collective, a cultural nonprofit founded just last year, which has since tirelessly channeled its energies into promoting Filipino culture and art.
One striking aspect of Manila Collective is its pro bono consultations for artists who need help protecting their intellectual property. At the same time, its cultural programming is expansive, particularly through “Manila Calling,” a traveling cultural program that connects Filipino and international creatives through exhibitions in Barcelona, Madrid, Intramuros, and Tokyo.
Building on its long-standing partnership with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, Pasa Pasa 2027 also receives support from AECID Cultura and Instituto Cervantes.
Besides these international collaborations, Manila Collective’s goals are at the grassroots, and a visit to their Manila Indie Makers Fair at the Yuchengco Museum last Oct. 24 showed a glimpse of their generosity. The platform was refreshing, giving independent makers the opportunity to show and sell their work publicly, without any booth fees.
With this tangible sense of altruism for artists, it’s no wonder Pasa Pasa 2027 hopes to bring their projects further, growing artistic communities, bit by bit.
The art of passing it on
But what is Pasa Pasa anyway? Taking its name from the Tagalog word “pasa,” which means to pass or hand over, the project’s premise focuses on exchange. The initiative grew from Manila Collective’s founder Mei Mijares’ extensive experience living in Europe. After encountering a vibrant network of artist-led initiatives, she returned to the Philippines and wanted to create a similar sense of connection locally.
“The idea is to exchange ideas, collaborations… We want to bring together people who are not usually together in one place and share those experiences… in a very specific way,” says Mijares. “And be spontaneous about it in a shared experience.”
Mijares recounts how Manila Collective’s open call for collaborators was astounding, receiving more than 300 responses from interested participants, just on Instagram.
For executive director Justin Wee, the collective aims to go beyond a mere calendar of cultural events and to lay out sustainable conditions for creatives to thrive. “These things aren’t accidental. It’s very deliberate. You can’t just expect the conditions to be there. You have to design the conditions for these communities to actually flourish,” Wee says.
Manila on the creative map
So far, Pasa Pasa is working toward more than 50 creative activations involving over 100 creatives across Metro Manila. Its calendar spans Makati, Quezon City, Manila, Mandaluyong, Pasig, and Pasay, with each neighborhood bringing its own programming.
Among its initiatives is Public Space Encounters, which brings international artists from Spain and France. In Pasig, Eltono, Martí Sawe, Emilio Cerezo, and 3ttman will collaborate with the local government. In Escolta, Spanish artist Daniel Muñoz will have an open studio on Feb. 5 with an exhibit on Feb. 13 at the historic First United Building.
Meanwhile, you can look forward to Pasada Week from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, an open-call exhibition of floor-to-ceiling installations by Filipino artists. Then head to the MCAD at Benilde on Feb. 2 for a roundtable talk, “Encounters: Artistic Practices in Public Space.”
On Feb. 3 is Saluhan, an invitation-only dinner held with Nolisoli and One World Deli, which will gather around 50 creatives, designers, urbanists, and civic leaders, as they discuss the pertinent topic: How accessible and well-designed are our public spaces, and for whom?
Elsewhere, the calendar has plenty of reasons to explore. Quezon City hosts Manila Reading at Hygge Library Cafe on Jan. 13 and 14, followed by neighborhood activities, markets, and exchanges. Makati’s lineup includes a creative mixer at Mold on Jan. 17, and a queer and drag show, “AntiDote,” at Monarch on Jan. 20. There will even be wellness activities at Cyclehouse on Jan. 23, and workshops in Malikhaing Mandaluyong.
The festival closes on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, with an Escolta takeover, bringing it all back to one of Manila’s most historic creative districts.
The value of showing up
Considering the city’s infrastructure and how long it takes to get around, the project may seem ambitious. But measuring up the actual dates to a calendar, it does appear doable indeed. And maybe the appeal of a project like Pasa Pasa can best be felt through the small encounters.
Walking through the free booths of the Manila Indie Makers Fair, I could sense a community taking shape. I bought prints from Ang Funny Po, whose makers were visibly delighted. Later, I had a laugh with independent makers Socks Lang. Before I left, I bought a zine and got a tarot reading from writer Electromilk, and found myself in an unexpected heart-to-heart.
Could these brief encounters be a glimpse of what Pasa Pasa hopes to encourage? The state of our world can make us feel disconnected, from inaccessible transportation to our all-consuming phone screens. But the many events of Pasa Pasa 2027 mark a welcome change, keeping creativity in circulation across the city while passing a little good energy from one community to another.
Manila Collective’s Pasa Pasa 2027 runs from Jan. 9 to Feb. 14 across Metro Manila, in co-presentation with Spain’s Embassy, AECID Cultura, and Instituto Cervantes. Follow @manilacollective on Instagram for more updates
