JANUARY TO MARCH 2023
BIG DREAMS GATHERING MOMENTUM
Last January 28, 2023, we broke ground for Leeroy New's first permanent installation - a Filipino-spaceship themed sculptural piece that's going to house a gallery for some of our artworks in our permanent collection. It's the first major feature of a larger vision - the Tumba-Tumba Children's Museum of Philippine Art that, as you’re aware, we hope to build in a 2-hectare piece of land in Ibaan, Batangas.
Breaking ground on Tumba-Tumba with the officials of the local government of the Municipality of Ibaan.
Since then, we’ve moved forward, and the first major installation of this open air museum is starting to take shape.
To be sure, we're still a long way away from actually opening the museum... there are literally tens of millions of pesos (maybe more) to be raised. So while the target is to launch in June 2025 when CANVAS turns 20... that is likely an unrealistic and moving target. :)
Still, this is also no longer an idle dream because we now have several serious things going for us.
We own the land. We have the artworks. And we have a clear vision for curation that will provide an experience for visitors that will be interactive, memorable and unique.
We've also secured grant funding to get us started this year, not only to build what we believe will be an iconic Leeroy landmark, but also to start on the basic things like landscaping and building of a secure wall around the property. The grant from the Panta Rhea Foundation, which has been our main supporter from the very start, is pretty substantial - US $200,000.00 for this year, which we have to match with another US $240,000.00.
Depending on where we are and what we deliver, Panta Rhea Foundation is open to providing more funding in the coming years. So it’s important for us to show not only that we can raise our counterpart funds and make something happen on the land, but that we can bring in more local partners to build support and a genuine sense of ownership from various stakeholders.
So, do let me know if you wish to know more or to have a deeper involvement in this project. In the meantime, be assured that we believe that we are on the right path to realizing this dream museum.
We have the local government of Ibaan behind us, and we will nurture our relationship and connection with the local communities so that they feel they have a genuine stake in the Museum's success.
Some of the very best (and most coveted) artists have already agreed to participate in an annual fundraising event for us over the next three years, and we're confident we can get more of them to join this effort. And, we're already talking to (and looking for) corporations who might be interested in exploring mutually beneficial ways to collaborate and help us realize this dream.
Let me end by emphasizing that the march to giving away one million books continues. This year, we're going to pass 500,000 books, which took "only" 11 years. I don't know if the next 500,000 will take that long, but I suppose it doesn't matter. So far, it's been fun and important and fulfilling. It's the basis of all that we do, so I don't see us stopping at one million.
We’re off to a good start this year. So far, we’ve donated 2,586 books from January to March, which may not sound like much… but we also secured funding from Globe Telecom to reprint 10,000 copies of two popular titles: “Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy”, and “Bencab’s Activity Book for Children”. Together with more than 10,000 more books that we already have with us, we have a target now of more than 20,000 books to give away in the coming few months.
All in all, we hope to give away more than 60,000 books this year.
Bookgiving of #Youthink and book reading of Mga Kwento ng Maaliwalas for students of Janopol Occidental Elementary School at the newly built Eskinita Community Library in Tanauan, Batangas.
Last February 24, the UP Los Baños (UPLB) Delta Lambda Sigma Sorority conducted a free book-giving initiative to students at Carabao Park in Los Baños. The initiative was in support to commemorate the 37th EDSA Revolution Anniversary that ousted the Marcoses their power and to protest against the revision of our country's history on the atrocities and horrors of martial law and the Marcos family. The Sorority gave out 200 copies of Silent Witnesses, one of CANVAS’ children’s books on Martial Law.
Bookgiving at Sultan Esmael Elementary School in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
34 titles from CANVAS were also donated to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in the United Arab Emirates, so OFWs there would have access to high quality children’s books from back home. The request was made by Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ver, who is also shown above turning the books over to the library.