The Foreign Service Institute (FSI), in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), conducted the Arts Management Training for Foreign Service Personnel for the twenty-three (23) cadets of the Foreign Service Officers’ Cadetship Course (FSOCC) from 24 to 28 April 2023.The resource persons discussed harnessing the Philippine creative industries for cultural diplomacy by developing awareness and understanding of international trends in the arts among local artists and the general public; supporting specialized training of Philippine artists and cultural practitioners abroad; taking advantage of bilateral and regional cooperation agreements as well as development assistance programs, and establishing a national policy for cultural diplomacy that will synchronize and coordinate all efforts towards common goals.

The course discussed the importance of culture profiling and mapping in diplomatic posts, and taught the cadets to actively make information on Philippine culture available to a wide range of audience and promote awareness and appreciation of the cultural heritage present in the Filipino communities.

During the training, the cadets were also able to visit the performance spaces and the various staging setups of the CCP’s Black Box or Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, tour the artistic production studios in a Production Design House, and observe the “WOMAN: Thesis and Antithesis” exhibit at the Yuchengco Museum.

The Arts Management Training culminated in group presentations of the participants’ (1) Artistic and Cultural Project and (2) Production Management Plan. Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Public and Cultural Diplomacy Assistant Secretary Arvin de Leon, CCP Arts Education Department Manager Ms. Eva Mari Salvador, and former CCP president and Board Member Mr. Nestor Jardin served as esteemed panel members who provided critique on the proposals.