ICYMI: ALT Philippines 2026 Is Coming Up—Here's What You Need to Know

(SPOT.ph) Good news, local art fans: after a two-year hiatus, ALT Philippines is officially back—and its return promises to be bigger than ever.

Happening February 12 to 15 at SMX Mall of Asia, the contemporary art fair marks its fourth edition with its largest setup yet, featuring twice the floor area of previous runs and soaring five-meter-high walls—all the better to make space for more art. Expect standout works from some of the country’s best contemporary artists, thoughtfully curated projects, and plenty of opportunities to discover new names worth following. If you’re looking to dive into fresh ideas and listen in to conversations shaping Philippine contemporary art, this is one fair you’ll want on your calendar.

Also read: A New Contemporary Art Museum Is Rising Soon in Makati

As you might expect, ALT Philippines operates much like other art fairs in the country—offering artists a platform to present their work beyond the confines of traditional museums and commercial galleries. It's a marketplace that brings together art and artists from nine premier galleries, namely, Artinformal, Blanc, The Drawing Room, Galleria Duemila, Finale Art File, MO_Space, Underground, Vinyl on Vinyl, and West Gallery— essentially the ones who famously broke away from Art Fair Philippines to form their own group several years back. The group collectively aims to "reframe artistic discourse" and promote" critical engagement with art" through a slew of thoughtfully curated exhibits.

Each edition of ALT Philippines also spotlights a section called Special Projects, where participating galleries present works that “push conceptual possibilities” and expand the fair’s curatorial scope. This year’s lineup features pieces by Christina Quisumbing Ramilo, Buen Calubayan, Julie Lluch, Kiri Dalena, Ben Brixx, Raffy Napay, MM Yu, Kolown, Christina Lopez, Mauro “Malang” Santos, Lesley-Ann Cao, and Iwan Effendi.

True to its mission, ALT Philippines goes beyond paintings and sculptures, embracing mixed media, sound, photography, performance, moving image, and other experimental forms as well—creating space for Filipino stories, continued creative exploration, and meaningful collaboration among artists.

But something that makes the 2026 run especially exciting is the inclusion of a Discoveries Section—ALT Discoveries. This portion of the fair will be dedicated to artists who the organizers feel deserve more attention—not necessarily new to the scene, but those ALT Philippines believes still have a long (and fruitful) journey ahead.

ALT Discoveries serves as a platform for fresh insights and new perspectives, spotlighting nine artists through compelling, critically engaged solo presentations. Included in the inaugural group of artists to be featured in the Discoveries Section are JC Mariategue, Jomari T'leon, Joar Songcuya, Allyza Tresvalles, Eric Bico, Gelo Cinco, Joanolasco, Rhaz Oriente, and Marco Ortiga.

As of writing, ticket prices and the ticket purchase link have yet to be released, but according to ALT Philippines, tickets to the fair will be available through SM Tickets soon.

ALT Philippines 2026 will be from February 12 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia. For more information, visit ALT Philippines' Facebook page.

Also read: Heads Up: Art Fair Philippines 2026 Moves to Circuit Makati—Here's What We Know So Far