Creativity with Conscience
ArteFino is back with a new sense of collaboration, creativity, purpose, and hope.
Words Patricia Lanzagarita
Photos courtesy of ArteFino
August 12, 2025
The daily life in Manila conceals the creative rhythm of weaving looms, the tempting aroma of heirloom recipes, and the hum of collaborative projects—all while shaping a new narrative for Filipino culture.
This year, ArteFino 2025 celebrates this vision with the theme, ‘Champions of Change.’ More than just a fair, it is a living, evolving testament to purpose, heritage, and hope.
At the forefront
At its heart, ‘HeArteFino’ remains the soul of the ArteFino movement, standing firmly at its forefront. It is the very pulse of the festival’s nearly decade-long journey to uplift Filipino craftsmanship through meaningful impact.
“It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many things happening around the fair. Yes, it is a retail experience—one that you have to immerse yourself in to fully appreciate. But it is important that we return to what anchors everything we do: HeArteFino,” said the group.
The HeArteFino Fund was born out of a belief that creativity can promote equity, spark innovation, and empower lives. Over the years, it has supported a wide range of artisans and communities, such as the Bagobo Tagabawa community from Davao, the weavers of Argao, Cebu, and artisans from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, bringing a total grant funding to over P1 million.
This year, ‘Project Nova’ is the newest HeArteFino grantee. The initiative introduces creative ways of transforming discarded kayaks into bags, and has received an initial seed grant of ₱500,000.
“Advocacy is the core,” the founders emphasize. “We exist because we believe craft is not just about beauty—but about equity, access, and impact.”
A full circle moment
Renowned accessories designer Zarah Juan, a longtime collaborator of the festival, returns to the fair with a collection titled ‘Full Circle.’ After learning the concept of natural dyes in Jakarta, Juan came back to her old and original traditions. Celebrating natural materials, heritage techniques, and sustainable fashion, her pieces echo the evolution of the Filipino identity.
“Nine years ago, I started my creative journey with ArteFino, and it felt so natural that I would return here with a new perspective. I wanted to return to my roots,” said Juan.
ArteFino expanded
ArteFino 2025 introduces ‘The ArteFino Lounge,’ a curated cultural experience located at Balmori Chef’s Table. While Chefs Angelo Comsti and Don Baldosano present a menu rooted in heritage, blending traditional Filipino recipes with modern palates.
With visual direction by Jet Acuzar of The Forewoman and Las Casas de Acuzar, the lounge will highlight the power of design and storytelling by featuring jewelry and accessories brands like ARAO, Caro Wilson, Golden Monstera, Katha Pilipinas, and Peewee Benitez.
Meanwhile, ArteFino Finds unveils a refreshed retail space on the R1 Level of Power Plant Mall’s New Wing, offering a modern take on local craft.
ArteFino continues to thrive on collaboration—the lifeblood of the festival. This year, new partnerships interplay with art, fashion, ecology, and everything in between.
Idyllic Summers X Earthbound, featuring Geraldine Javier, Steffi Cua, and Marionne Contreras, presents eco-printed textiles and zero-waste designs, reflecting nature’s cyclical rhythm: from birth to decay, spring to fall.
Designer Jor-El Espina’s ‘Heirloom’ is inspired by the Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion, honoring the stories of patchwork, needlepoint work, and embroidery.
Lastly, Camille Villanueva, a Central Saint Martins alum, collaborates with muralist Tara Soriano to transform her signature dresses, jackets, and tops into wearable canvases.
As ArteFino approaches its 10th anniversary next year, the fair has evolved far beyond being Metro Manila’s biggest and most anticipated artisanal trade event.
“We believe in creativity with a conscience. Every object made, story shared, and community empowered is a reminder that design can be a vessel for dignity, livelihood, and hope,” said the founders.
ArteFino has become a cultural ecosystem, where creators, communities, and consumers come together to shape a modern Filipino lifestyle rooted in heritage.
