GSIS launched on March 11 its 2022 National Art Competition. Now in its 17th year, the GSIS art contest is regarded as one of the country’s biggest and most awaited visual art competitions.

The competition is open to all Filipino artists who are at least 18 years of age (as of May 2, 2022). Interested artists may submit one entry in each of the following categories: representational; nonrepresentational (or abstract), and outdoor or freestanding sculpture.

To promote renewed hope and the resilience of Filipinos in the “new normal,” the theme this year for the representational category is Pagsulong at Pag-asa sa Bagong Normal. For the other two categories, the theme is open to avoid restricting the artistry and imagination of participating artists.

Entries must be dated not earlier than 2022 and must be original works of participating artists. In addition, they must not have been exhibited before, revised, or awarded a prize in previous competitions.

Submission period is from May 2 to 7, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. only.

Cash prizes await the winners. The first prize winners in all categories will receive P300,000 while the second and third prize winners will receive P200,000 and P100,000, respectively. There will be four honorable mentions in each category who will receive P25,000 each. All prizes are subject to 20% tax.

Last year, GSIS received a record number of submissions at 1,451 art entries.

The winning artworks will be part of the GSIS art collection and displayed in the GSIS Museo ng Sining in Pasay City.

The officers of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) – the umbrella organization of art groups in the country and GSIS’s long-time partner in the conduct of the art tilt – and other individual artists who are officially assisting in the contest are not allowed to join the competition.

For the official entry forms, competition guidelines, and other details, interested participants may visit the GSIS website, https://www.gsis.gov.ph/the-2022-gsis-national¬art-competition/, or the GSIS Museo ng Sining Facebook page; email artcompetition@qsis.qov.ph or GSISartcompetition@gmail.com; or call (02) 8859-0395 or (02) 8479-3588.