The Salida Creativity Lab will bring a new cultural event, Filipino Modern, to Salida Oct. 18 to showcase the diverse culture of the Philippines.
The Salida Creativity Lab has been hosting Asia Fest activities and other cultural events for more than nine years through events like the Dragon Parade, Lantern Parade and the Día de los Muertos procession.
Recently, organizer and Creativity Lab founder Tina Gramann was awarded an Arts in Society Grant from the RedLine Gallery in Denver, allowing the creation of Filipino Modern. The grant funds artists that “illustrate artistic commitment, broaden the understanding of the role arts play in society, demonstrate cross-sector work, exhibit cultural relevance, foster community engagement and present opportunities for shared learning.”
The project is also deeply personal to Gramann as a Filipina-American. “I wanted to do something closer to my heritage,” she said, and people responded well to the idea.
Though Filipino Modern has some similarities in structure to Asia Fest, it will have different themes, exploring a completely different culture, Gramann said.
Crafts, activities and stories to entertain all ages will be offered free from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. In the evening, the ticketed event will include a symposium at 5 p.m. with five speakers including a fashion show with Filipina stylist Shiela DeForest of Amihan Artisans from Denver, award-winning photographer Julius Garrido and a cultural presentation by muralist Gene Pendon of Montreal.
A traditional Kamayan Feast dinner, where a Filipino chef will talk about each of the dishes being served.
The final event will be a concert “unlike anything Salida’s ever seen before,” Gramann said, with performances by “Money Mark,” aka the fourth Beastie Boy (Mark Ramos Nishita) from Los Angeles, California, with DJ Jester the Filipino Fist (G. Michael Pendon). The two will perform together with keyboard music and deejaying. Local artists such as Krista Jarvis, Lindsey Scot Ernst, Brynn Ronning Sandoval and Sarah Zhang, among others, will also be performing.
All of the activities will take place at Salida SteamPlant, 220 W. Sackett Ave. Tickets for the entire event – symposium, dinner and concert – cost $49.87; symposium-only tickets are $14.64; and concert-only tickets are $17.85 on eventbrite.com. Ticket sales end Oct. 11.
Gramann said, “Individually all of the artists … are making an incredible impact in their own field. When people see them collectively I hope that people can discover something about the broader culture.”