2026 Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Art Criticism Writing Workshop Participants
College of Communication, Art and Design (CCAD) Fine Arts Studio Arts faculty member Instructor Marie Nelle Valmoria was recently announced as one of the selected participants in the 2026 Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Art Criticism Writing Workshop.
Organized by the Kalaw-Ledesma Foundation, Inc. (KLFI), the workshop supports the development of emerging art writers through mentorship, critical discussions, and sustained writing.
The 2026 edition focuses on “examining broader trends, emerging tendencies, and issues affecting art communities”.
It also encourages participants to explore different forms of writing, including opinion essays, think pieces, and long-form cultural journalism.
Aside from teaching, Valmoria is a Cebu-based artist and curator whose practice brings together painting and new media.
She is particularly interested in cybernetic art and augmented reality as ways of weaving together narratives drawn from folklore and contemporary life.
Her curatorial interests include documenting Cebuano art practices and exploring sustainable approaches to developing these practices within and beyond the region.
A graduate of UP Cebu, Valmoria previously completed a curatorial internship at the university’s Jose T. Joya Gallery and worked as a Projects and Exhibitions Intern at MONO8 Gallery, where she engaged with programs supporting contemporary art in the Visayas.
She was also selected for Curatorial Conversations: Practices and Potentials, an inaugural curatorial incubator program organized by De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design.
The workshop carries forward the legacy of Purita Kalaw-Ledesma, a prominent figure in Philippine art who championed art criticism and helped foster a vibrant art scene.
Through its programs, KLFI continues to nurture new voices in art criticism and create opportunities for writers to engage critically with the evolving landscape of Philippine art.
The workshop is facilitated by art critic Pristine L. de Leon, with in-person sessions held at the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Center in Makati City.
Valmoria’s participation reflects CCAD faculty members’ continuing engagement with contemporary art discourse and critical approaches to artistic practice, contributing to conversations on the development and visibility of art in Cebu and the wider Philippine art scene.
Studio Arts’ Valmoria selected for Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Art Criticism Writing Workshop
