Our Dream of a Children’s Museum of Philippine Art
Why this Museum?
The Center for Art, New Ventures and Sustainable Development (CANVAS) is currently building the Tumba-Tumba Children’s Museum of Philippine Art. Museum offerings and exhibitions will reflect CANVAS’ belief in the power of storytelling, and the cross-cutting nature of human rights as central to children’s rights, as well as the other big issues of our times—climate change, and safety on the internet. Providing opportunities for hands-on activities and collaborations with their peers, the Museum will be designed to help children learn and develop their skills in empathy and independent thinking.
These are skills that are essential and important especially in an increasingly polarized world. Through our art and stories, our Museum hopes to become a bridge that unites by highlighting shared dreams and aspirations.
The Museum will be an open air facility comprised of several halls, art installations and other facilities on a rolling piece of land lined with mango trees in the province of Batangas. CANVAS is not starting from scratch, and already has some of the crucial ingredients for the museum.
We have the art.
Since its founding in 2005, CANVAS has worked on dozens of child-centered projects with some of the country’s best artists. In each of these projects, CANVAS has chosen to keep one or two artworks, enabling it to amass a modest but growing permanent collection that, together with our books, will anchor the content of the Museum.
We have the Land.
We have also acquired a 15,000 square meter piece of land in Batangas, just five minutes off the Star Tollway, as the museum’s site. And we’re working with artists, writers and architects to render our evolving visions for Tumba-Tumba.
Once fully built, the museum has the potential to serve one of the fastest growing regions in the country, even as it will just be a couple of hours away from Metro Manila and as such, will be an attractive day trip destination for Metro Manila’s residents and tourists.
Last January 2023, we broke ground for a Filipino-spaceship themed sculptural piece designed by Leeroy New. It is his first permanent installation. About 40 feet high, and occupying a 90 square meter space, the installation will serve as our first Museum gallery. It's the first major feature of a much larger vision.
Officially named “I Am An Explorer”, this first major Museum gallery is set to open in February 2025.
It is part of a larger vision for the Tumba-Tumba Children’s Museum of Philippine Art, which seeks to provide children with a safe, interactive and memorable space to explore, grow, create and play.
We have a Vision.
We see the museum as a place where children can run, explore, learn and be unafraid.
It will be curated to be highly interactive, and focused on play and hands-on manipulation, and social interaction – elements that enhance learning for very young children.
Interactive, memorable and engaging, it will be a museum that appeals to kids of all ages.
For years now, CANVAS has been organizing various exhibitions, events and installations to help it conceptualize and refine its ideas for the vision and character that will define the museum.
How You Can Help
CANVAS encourages donations from like-minded supporters who believe in our mission to empower children through art and stories. As a PCNC-Accredited Institution, you can be assured that CANVAS will be a responsible and transparent steward of your gifts.
We can work with you to structure your donations to fit your own values and priorities. These could include the following:
Naming Opportunities
These can support specific facilities of the museum, including exhibitions halls, outdoor installtions and gardens, but they also can arise in other forms such as sponsorships, dedicated scholarships and endowed programs.
Endowments and Endowment-like Investments
Yours can be a gift that keeps on giving by helping to create a fund that offers a reliable source of income for the Museum.
Planned Gifts
These are legacy bequests. These can be restricted or unrestricted. They can fund capital campaigns or endowments and can also be connected to naming opportunities.
To inquire, please email info@canvas.ph.