The Benilde Open Design + Art welcomes every kind of creator
In college, the strongest writers in my poetry classes weren’t always my creative writing coursemates. They were often scientists and sociologists taking an elective—students from chemistry, physics, or even developmental sciences. They had unique perspectives on the world, colored by their specializations, if not obsessions.
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde recognizes this interdisciplinary potential. For its 2025 edition of the Benilde Open Design + Art, the school emphasizes that creativity goes beyond the usual suspects in the visual art world.
With the 2025 theme “Extension of Nature,” any creative professional can apply for a grant of up to P300,000 to produce a project that reimagines and reflects on nature and sustainability.
Meanwhile, Benilde students can apply for a grant of up to P50,000 under the Best of Benilde competition.
The program’s convenors are comprised of Dindin Araneta, an Art Fair Philippines co-founder who brings expertise in arts education and management; Joselina ‘Yeyey’ Cruz, director of Benilde’s nonprofit Museum of Contemporary Art and Design; industrial designer Gabriel Lichauco; educator and creative industry veteran Ayi Magpayo; and renowned designer Rita Nazareno.
The group of experts are making a dent in the landscape of creative funding in the country. “Together, you can probably see the strengths,” Magpayo reflects. “I thought you were going to say stress!” Nazareno interjects with a laugh.
In synergy with Benilde president and brother Edmundo ‘Dodo’ Fernandez, the Benilde Open convenors have envisioned a generous and generative space, where unrealized projects could come to be.
A growing creative ecosystem
“Art is well serviced in the landscape here in the Philippines. But design is not,” Nazareno muses. “The creative fields are abundant, and we’d love to see as many from different disciplines as possible. Just to give them the opportunity to write, and to have their ideas start formulating.”
While many artists are familiar with the language of grant writing, those in other fields are often not, which leads to brilliant ideas gathering dust.
“In the first iteration of the Benilde Open there was manifest success across different metrics… We made some noise which resulted in an increase in the number of applicants, as well as enrollment,” Magpayo says. “And while that is the cherry on top, the real objective is to position Benilde as the nexus of design and art in the country.”
Nature as an urgent muse
This year’s Benilde Open theme dances around nature, but not in the gentle, pastoral sense. “We’re thinking of innovation, technology… expressive machines, gadgets, and inventions… but again, within that theme of nature,” explains Lichauco. “Nature is a broad idea, and they can tackle anything from the water to the sky.”
It’s fitting, as nature has often been humanity’s teacher, from the Wright brothers studying birds to modern biomimicry. “It’s like creative science,” says Cruz. “Looking at what you do in your backyard or garage.”
And of course, there’s a sense of urgency that makes the call feel less like a theme and more like a rallying cry. “Climate change is here. It’s not going to change.” Cruz continues. “People need to think about it. In the call we’re encouraging creative reuse.”
While historically, tech has often resulted in harming nature, the Benilde Open encourages working in harmony with it, drawing inspiration from kinetics, which can mirror the dynamism of the natural world.
The rare grant opportunity
The Benilde Open 2025 comes full circle, valuing natural resources, while offering financial resources.
An esteemed jury of local and international creatives will award the grants. These grants are largely unrestricted, offering seed money given in faith that bold ideas can grow in unexpected directions.
Applicants and awardees are also invited to sit down with the convenors for mentorship, reviewing their sketches, diagrams, and written proposals.
“It’s probably the only grant of its kind in the Philippines,” notes Araneta. “We try to be as accommodating and as accessible as possible to encourage more people to submit proposals. We’ve also tried to revamp how they submit the proposal online so it’s easier for them to upload and fill up the information.”
All of the accepted proposals will be compiled and documented in a publication, too. “They will own the work,” Magpayo confirms. “Whether it’s adaptability or sustainability in nature, they will own the patent.”
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Just like the first edition, the launch of the Benilde Open will be attended by leaders in various industries, hunting for sparks of new ideas.
There’s something deliciously subversive about an engineer or a dancer writing a grant proposal, showing that the Benilde Open is truly open, and that creativity has no boundaries.
And whether you’re a lighting, fashion, or industrial designer, artist, architect, engineer, craftsman, illustrator, playwright, poet, filmmaker, chef, or any creative practitioner, as long as you have an unrealized vision, the Benilde Open simply asks: What would you make if you could?
Creative direction by Ria Prieto
Photos by JT Fernandez
Shoot assistant Ella Lambio
Video by Mikey Yabut, Claire Salonga, Jaime Morados
The Benilde Open is accepting proposal applications at https://benildeopen.com/ until July 30, 2025
