TARA
ad-hoc arts collective
TARA Ad Hoc Collective holds aligned intention to Explore and Create alongside one another, the land and the Ancestors. Our proposed work and project alongside one another seeks to bring together a collective of artists with varied modalities, focusing on the interconnected themes of land, water, ancestors, the body and diasporic Filipin@ identity.
Each artist in this collective holds special roles in community that weaves intersections of healing, mental health, social justice, environmental justice and artistic practices alongside personal identities of gender fluidity, queer earth, and being Filipin@.
This proposed journey to the Philippines is a powerful opportunity for a collective of queer multidisciplinary artists based in Toronto to deepen their craft by reconnecting with their ancestral homelands and the waters that hold their stories. For many in the diaspora, returning to the land of our ancestors is an essential act of reclamation, healing, and transformation. In the Philippines, we will not only explore the roots of our artistic practices but also immerse ourselves in the cultural, spiritual, and ecological landscapes that shaped them. By grounding our work in the rich and diverse traditions of the Philippines, we can engage with the land and waters as sacred sources of knowledge and inspiration.
This journey is not just a personal pilgrimage, but a collective act of honouring our ancestors, our queer identities, and our multifaceted art forms. Our experiences will weave together the intersection of queerness, indigeneity, and artistic expression, creating space for the reclamation of narratives that have often been marginalized or erased. The knowledge, skills, and energy we gather will be shared with our diasporic arts community, enriching our collective creative practice and fostering deeper connections between our homelands and the art we produce in diaspora.
By returning with this work, we not only expand the boundaries of our individual practices but also create opportunities for growth and healing within our wider community. This project will play a vital role in guiding our shared diasporic communities to use the arts as a platform for self-expression, healing, and empowerment. Through workshops, exhibitions, performances, and collaborations, we aim to offer new perspectives that reflect our shared histories, struggles, and joys. In doing so, we will cultivate space for a thriving arts culture in Canada, one that centers marginalized voices and celebrates the depth of queer Filipino art.
This initiative is a step towards building a more vibrant and inclusive arts ecosystem in Canada, where diverse voices are uplifted, and creative practices become tools for transformation. By embracing the intersections of identity, culture, and creativity, we aim to build a stronger arts community that honours both our ancestral connections and the legacies we create today.
Click here for the grant that we are requesting to support our Residency.
Why “TARA”?
TARA: Transformative Ancestral Residency for Artists
TARA is a sacred return, a homecoming for artists called to create, remember, and transform. Rooted in the lush lands and living waters of the Philippines, this residency is more than having space to create ~ it is a bridge between past, present, and future.
Artists will weave their visions with the wisdom of the ancestors, listening to the quiet stories carried by the wind, the waters, and the trees. TARA invites us to unearth memory, to shape new narratives, and to honour the unseen hands that guide our craft.
Through ceremony, collaboration, and deep immersion in the land, TARA nurtures artistic expression as a form of healing, liberation, and connection. It is a sanctuary where creation becomes an offering, and every brushstroke, movement, and melody becomes a whisper of remembrance.
Come as you are. Let the land speak. Let the ancestors hold you. Let your art transform and be transformed.
TARA means “Let’s go!” ~ toward ancestral wisdom, artistic freedom, and a future shaped by the hands of those who came before. This name inspired not only by its meaning and name but, through divination with the cosmic figure TARA (the Golden Tara of Agusan), who I believe is holding blessings for this activation / arts residency with each artist, including the land and artists whom will co-create with us.
