Carlos Quijon Jr. Named Chief Curator as Cultural Center of the Philippines Prepares to Reopen

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has appointed Carlos Quijon Jr. as its new Chief Curator, ahead of the reopening of its Main Building in Manila.

The announcement was made in a press release published on CCP's own website on August 4, 2026, and later picked up by ARTnews, Artforum and Art Asia Pacific.

In the role, Quijon Jr. will lead the institution's exhibition program and oversee the presentation of its 21AM Visual Arts Collection — one of the Philippines' largest contemporary art collections, spanning works from the 1960s to the 1980s, according to Artforum. The 21AM collection — short for the CCP's visual arts holdings, built over decades of acquisitions and donations — sits at the heart of the institution's identity as a national custodian of Philippine culture.

The CCP was created in 1966 as a public trust for the preservation and promotion of Philippine arts and culture. In 1972, it was transformed into a non-municipal public corporation, giving it greater administrative autonomy. Its Main Building, a brutalist landmark on Manila Bay designed by architect Leandro Locsin, has been closed for extensive renovation and is expected to reopen to the public soon.

Quijon Jr.'s appointment means he will shape what visitors see when those doors open again. As chief curator, he controls the exhibition program — the rotating schedule of shows and displays — and the care and presentation of the permanent collection.

The role of chief curator at a national cultural institution carries weight beyond the gallery walls. Decisions about which artists are shown, which works from storage are brought into the light, and how the collection is interpreted all shape public access to a country's visual heritage.

Art Asia Pacific reported that Quijon Jr. will take charge of the 21AM Visual Arts Collection as part of his duties leading the exhibition program.

For the wider Philippine arts community, the appointment signals a fresh curatorial direction at an institution that has weathered funding pressures, political shifts and the long closure of its flagship building. The reopening will be the first chance for many visitors to see the renovated spaces and whatever Quijon Jr. chooses to put on the walls.

The CCP has not yet announced a specific reopening date for the Main Building.