Off to a Big Start - Our 2026 First Quarter Report
Much of our time and energy this quarter went into preparing and launching the second edition of the If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale, even as we continued to work on the building of our Tumba-Tumba Children’s Museum of Philippine Art, and moving forward with several new book and education initiatives.
We also continued expanding and strengthening our corporate partnerships and fundraising efforts, and laying the groundwork for projects that will unfold over the coming months and years.
2026 If Trees Could Talk
International Art Biennale
The most significant milestone this quarter was the launch of the 2026 If Trees Could Talk International Art Biennale, which officially opened on February 28, 2026.
As you may recall, the Biennale began as an experiment in 2024. We saw it as a way to explore how art and storytelling might contribute to conversations about the environment. The second edition is now testing whether that idea can grow into something larger and more international.
The 2026 Biennale is expanding in several ways.
First, we invited artists from around the world to create and send postcards responding to the question: “If Trees Could Talk, What Would They Say?” The response has been overwhelmingly positive. To date, more than 500 artists from over sixty countries have submitted works, with many artists sending several pieces each.
Here are just a few of the postcard artworks that were submitted. The actual artworks will be displayed at the National Museum next month, and all images are also on display at Tumba-Tumba.
Second, more than twenty institutions and art spaces from different parts of the world also expressed interest in participating as satellite partners. Groups in Indonesia, Taiwan, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Latvia, and Cyprus have begun organizing their own exhibitions and activities connected to the Biennale theme and brand. We will be working with them in the coming months to document the fruits of their participation.
In the Philippines, several institutions and universities — including the Ateneo Art Gallery, BenCab Museum, UP College of Fine Arts, and Asia Pacific College — have also indicated interest in participating in the broader conversation.
The Biennale will continue running until July, with installations, exhibitions, and public activities gradually unfolding over the coming months.
In the weeks and months leading up to the Biennale launch, we spent considerable time preparing the site and completing several improvements. Existing works were restored or cleaned, including murals and installations that had weathered the previous rainy season. At the same time, new elements were added to the grounds.
Among these additions is a community mural, designed and painted by artists from Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK), Project Barako — a Batangas-based artist collective — and schoolchildren from Ibaan.
Functional sculptures, on from artist Plet Bolipata, and three on indefinite long-term loan from the family of the late sculptor Gerry Araos, have now been installed at Tumba-Tumba.
Additionally, a few dozen fairy house are now hiding in plain sight under the trees of Tumba-Tumba. We will be organizing pottery workshops regularly throughout the year in the hope that, eventually, hundreds of these tiny whimiscal sculptures will be found throughout the land, just waiting for visiting children to explore and find them.
In addition, several improvements were made to the site itself, including the installation of bamboo fencing in several areas — particularly near the entrance — as well as repair and restoration work on some of the permanent artworks on the property.
Tipon-Tipon sa Tumba-Tumba
The Biennale offerings at Tumba-Tumba were finally opened to the public on March 14 and 15, when Tipon-Tipon - a weekend of workshops, guided tours, games, and film screenings - was successfully held at our museum site in Ibaan, Batangas.
Opening ceremonies for Tipon-Tipon last March 14, 2026
Retelling the story of “Elias and His Trees” to children from nearby Ibaan barangays
Mindful Journaling session atop Kulandong at Tumba-Tumba
Postcard installation at Tumba-Tumba. Over 500 artists from 62 countries were represented.
Create postcards responding to the question: “If trees could talk, what would they say?”
Short environment-themed films by students of Asia Pacific College were shown inside our iconic “I Am the Explorer” hall.
Make your own camera obscura workshop with J Pacena
Outdoor Photography Using Your Smartphone Workshop with Ocs Alvarez
BOOKGIVING AND BOOK DEVELOPMENT
Bookgiving efforts continued, of course. For this quarter so far, we’ve given away 2,652 books directly to kids and to three libraries in Cavite, Batangas, Tarlac, Bataan, and Metro Manila.
OUR FIRST CHILDREN’S BOOK FOR THE YEAR!!!
Connected with the Biennale, we will launch “Kamusta, Kaibigan” — penned by multi-awarded author Russell Molina, with illustrations by Roel Obemio — on April 7 at 2pm at the National Museum. This is our first children’s book for the year, and will also serve as one of the National Museum’s satellite presentations for our Biennale.
The book, intended for children aged 4–7, is based on a gentle poem that unfolds as a conversation between a young child and a tree. Through this simple exchange, the story introduces themes of friendship, curiosity, and care for the natural world, offering a timely reflection on our relationship with the environment.
We hope to see you all there! 😊
BOOKS IN THE PIPELINE
Several new children’s book projects, many of them tied to partnerships with public institutions and corporate supporters, also moved forward.
CANVAS x DEPED x EDCOM
One of the most exciting collaborations, as you’re aware, involves two new books being developed with the Department of Education (DepEd) and EDCOM. These books are designed not primarily for parents, and the topics will focus on two areas that strongly influence a child’s ability to learn: early nutrition and early literacy.
To jumpstart the project, we organized a workshop last February at the National Museum, bringing together writers, illustrators, and subject experts provided by DepEd to begin shaping the content of these books.
The task ahead for all of us is to “kidify” all that research. Working with creatives, we hope to translate the graphs and studies into stories and activities that parents will actually read and use.
We will provide DepEd with camera-ready fully laid out full color files for the two books, which — if all goes well — will then be printed by DepEd for distribution to hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of parents and teachers throughout the country.
Meanwhile, several winning stories from our flagship Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition are expected to be launched as full color books this year, including those that will showcase the artworks of Abi Dionisio, Tiffany Lafuente, Chad Montero, John Marin, Renee Avila, and June Digan.
On top of those, work has also begun on Safe Space 2.0: A Kid’s Guide to AI and Digital Wellness. This book will follow up on our earlier award-winning publication on data privacy for children, and will again be supported by Globe.
Together, these projects continue CANVAS’ long-standing effort to use storytelling and art as tools for learning, civic awareness, and public education.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Extension of Our National Museum Exhibition
