Gerard Rabara
An open call for Filipino talent and creativity has been in full swing since early spring for the premiere of KUBŌ - Kultur Bayanihan Ōsterreich [1], scheduled to be held this year, from September 2-4 in Vienna, Austria.
“This 2022, KUBŌ premieres the first multi-day event to celebrate, discover, and understand what being Filipino means for the young creatives of the diaspora. It aims to provide a space to come together as a community of friends, seekers and curious spectators to celebrate Filipino culture through dialogue, creative collaboration, artistic expression and meaningful discovery as a global Pinoy family.”
KUBŌ’s desire to pool together the young Filipino talents of Europe in a show of force, is the next step towards affirming the next generation’s desire for more visibility and taking up space. Initiated by a group of young people in the creative industries, who have found an ally in Sentro ng Kultura at Wika ng Austria at Pilipinas (Zentrum für österreichische und philippinische Kultur und Sprache) [2], it is the event’s wish to pick up where Sentro’s recent book “Common Diversities” [3] started and continue trying to define and underline the Filipino experience and what it means to be Filipinos of the next generation in Austria though a celebration of our collective arts and culture.
Kunst, Kultur, Kulinarik (Art, Culture, Culinary) is the driving force of the festival, featuring different media and expressions of art from various contributors and artists, a showing of culture in numerous interpretations, both traditional and contemporary, and a salo-salo of mouthwatering flavors every Pinoy palate craves. One can take part in important conversations through panels and workshops throughout the mornings, while the stage opens in the late afternoon for young amateurs to compete in a talent show; then towards the evening, an array of top performances from some of the most notable talents, design professionals, and creators working in the region today and their work will be the highlight of this 3-day celebration of being “unapologetically filipino・leider kreativ,” [“unapologetically filipino ・ unfortunately creative”] all in the backdrop of exhibited art, film showings, and a mini makeshift “palengke” featuring culinary treats from the community’s talented cooks & bakers.
“We are heirs of a proud story of migration, connected by a common heritage, and bound by a shared geography. Ours is a story not like that of those that came before us, but a story of our own.
As next generation Austrian-born, or raised, Filipinos, we often find ourselves asking or being questioned about our identity and belonging. The answer is never simple. It is never just one thing. It is confrontational at times and amusing at best. Constantly seeking a place between two worlds, trying to make sense of what it means to be in the middle, uncompromising and unapologetic, yet for us it is authentic and true.
As young Filipino creatives, we have taken it upon ourselves to continue this journey of discovery in the form of artistic and creative expression. What does it mean to be a young Filipino creative in Austria? Who are we as a community and children of the diaspora? Where do we draw inspiration from? If you’ve asked yourself similar questions in your creative journey, let us claim space together and celebrate being Filipino through our respective medium.”
Visit our Instagram accounts @kultur.bayanihan and @sentro_aut_phl and websites to find out more about the activities.
[2] https://www.rawmags.com/single-post/common-diversities-junge-filipin-s-im-deutschsprachigen-raum
