The City of Cadiz brought Arts Month 2024 to a glamorous and meaningful close with the opening of “Balay Cadiznon,” also known as the “House of Paintings,” situated within the Philippine Normal University-Visayas (PNU-V) compound last week.
The building, a former Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Cadiz structure, underwent a P5-million, three-phase renovation over five years before its official reopening on February 21, Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante Jr. explained.
“Initially, the renovation project aimed to transform the BSP-Cadiz building into an event venue adjacent to Cadiz Arena. That’s why we referred to it as Balay Cadiznon in our proposal,” said the mayor.
The Cadiz Arena, being too vast for smaller public or private events with only hundreds of attendees, meant that Balay Cadiznon was designed as an alternative venue, Escalante noted.
However, he later realized that the space was too austere and decided to enhance it with paintings owned by the city government.
Upon inspection before the reopening, the mayor found that the addition of more paintings would be highly attractive. This led him to order the transfer of 70 pieces by various Negrense artists from Cadiz City Hall 2 to Balay Cadiznon, creating an impressive “wow” factor.
“It’s quite touching and heartwarming to see a government building like Balay Cadiznon adorned with art pieces, each with a different story to tell. There’s a real essence to it,” Escalante shared.
Beyond Arts Month, the “House of Paintings” is set to offer significant experiences to visitors, with the mayor adding, “The atmosphere here is genuinely uplifting.”
“This has become our ‘taliambong’ center, an art center we can be proud of. The paintings will not only attract tourists but also serve as a repository of real stories, reflecting the artists’ remarkable experiences and life perspectives,” the mayor emphasized.
“Above all,” he stressed, “this is our most significant contribution to the provincial government’s extensive efforts to revitalize tourism in Negros Occidental following the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.”
