Heads Culture Team. Oversees Culture Team projects.
I'm a Bachelor of Arts graduate with a First Class Honours in History of Art with Material Studies from University College London, and a current Master's student of Art Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
As one of the first people that made up the FiliFest committee since its debut as a culture festival in the summer of 2019 - its amazing to watch how a community of young, talented Filipino individuals across the UK and abroad grow, flourish and contribute to the representation of Filipino culture.
Aside from FiliFest, I'm a homebody and just love to cook, bake and read, and whenever I can, catch up on Modern Family. But if you're talking dreams and aspirations: yes I'd like to have my own farm and grow my own produce, yes I'd like to have a career in cultural diplomacy one day, have an organisation that supports Philippine IPs and local craftspeople and yes having my own gallery would be nice too. :)
Skills and Experience
Academic and Cultural Research: Laidlaw Undergraduate Research Scholar [2017-2020] Social and Historical Sciences Faculty (University College London), Research Assistant [2020] Institute of Philippine Culture (Ateneo de Manila University), Visiting Research Associate [2019] [My main research interests are on Philippine colonial-contemporary art, decolonialism (and the decolonialisation of the Filipino identity), early modern art and architecture, 20th century modern art, the sustainable development of Philippine textiles and developments in ASEAN/Philippine cultural policies.]
Archiving, Conservation, Cataloguing: Special Collections (University College London), Volunteer Paper Conservationist [2018] The Marco Goldschmeid Foundation, Cataloguing Assistant [2019]
University College London Achievements:
Filipino Society, President [2019-2020]
Students for Kids International Projects (SKIP), Treasurer [2017-2020]
Global Citizenship Programme: Project (Un)Urban [2018]
26th October 2020 | Jessica Nicole Ramas Manuel
For the first Salaysay Series post, and in commemoration of Black History Month (UK) and National Indigenous People’s Month (PH), Jessica Manuel explores the idea of how the Filipino/a identity was constructed on the...
9th November 2020 | Jessica Nicole Ramas Manuel
From virtual art fairs, to online indie film festivals, Minecraft nightclub servers, and supporting creative initiatives, Jessica gives you the low-down on 7 Philippine art highlights this year.