CULTURE

Jessica Nicole Ramas Manuel

Chief Culture Officer

    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]

    FiliFest 2019 (30th January 2019-1st August 2019) - Chief Operations Officer (Internal)

    • Composed contracts and MOUs sent to external sponsors and vendors of FiliFest 2019
    • Assisted with drafting event business plans sent to sponsors
    • Co-ordinated other Filipino societies across the UK to participate through bunting decorations used around FiliFest
    • Developed marketing ideas in the form of Instagram posts to promote call for performers
    • Represented FiliFest at events hosted by external sponsors of FiliFest 2019
    • Contributed ideas towards the creation of FiliFest 2019
    • Designed and hand-painted the FiliFest 2019 banner
    • Led the Activities Room operations of FiliFest 2019, creating a space to encourage expression of art and hosting karaoke sessions

    FiliFest 2020 (2nd October 2019-1st July 2020) - Chief Operations Officer

    • Supported other Operations Officers work through advice and guidance based on knowledge from previous FiliFest year
    • Organised LET'S TALK: Deconstructing Filipino panel talk (Digital FiliFest 2020); scouted panelists and led points of discussion
    • Featured in the following FiliFest TV videos: Meet the FiliFest Committee 2020!, LET'S TALK: Deconstructing Filipino panel talk (Digital FiliFest 2020)
    • Hosted: LET'S TALK: Deconstructing Filipino panel talk (Digital FiliFest 2020)

    FiliFest 2021 (6th July 2020-24th July 2021) - Chief Cultural Officer

    • Oversaw projects led by newly established Culture Team, which has the main purpose of educating the Filipino diaspora (and beyond) about Filipino cultural traditions and heritage, representing the nuances of the different Filipino identities
    • Fostered an environment of collaboration and co-creation amongst team members and those who have joined FiliFest Community
    • Led culture blog posts, providing Culture Officers a space to share their research and knowledge
    • Represented FiliFest at international conferences such as Benilde Arts Management Conference
    • Participated in a few IG story takeovers
    • Instagram stories researched: PH Love Teams
    • Instagram posts researched: The Art of Inabel Weaving, Sounds of the Philippines I & II, Food Aphrodisiacs in the Philippines, Celebrating a Filipino Christmas, Order of the National Artists, Dama Ko Lahi Ko Series (Paningin/Sight, Panlasa/Taste, Pansalat/Touch, Pandinig/Hear, Pang-Amoy/Smell)
    • Instagram posts (graphics) created: Dama Ko Lahi Ko Series (Paningin/Sight, Panlasa/Taste, Pansalat/Touch, Pandinig/Hear, Pang-Amoy/Smell)
    • Blog posts written: Salaysay Series on BHM: Why Filipino/as/x SHOULD care about Black History, A Quaranteener's Guide to finding Philippine Art in the Virtual Shift
    • Hosted the following Tambayan Season 1 episodes: 7
    • Featured in the following FiliFest TV videos: FiliFest Community, Tambayan S1 (ep 7)

    FiliFest 2022 (30th July 2020-Present) - Chief Cultural Officer

    • Pushing for more collaboration with other cultural organisations and groups in the Philippines

    Blog Posts By Jessica