Mr Jose Isidro Camacho, chairman of UAS' Board of Trustees, believes that full-time artists contribute to society in many ways.
UAS will welcome its first intake of students in 2024. Currently, it anticipates a cohort size of around 700 students. Mr Camacho reckons it has taken this long because a fine arts degree – be it in disciplines like visual arts, music, dance or theatre – is not highly coveted for practical reasons here.
Mr Camacho says: “He is our son and we would support him, but he doesn’t want it. He lives independently and has managed to do so.” “I hope UAS will generate creative, artistic graduates who are also part of building the creative economy. That is where the world is headed – a convergence of arts and culture with business, health, education. It’s already happening. Think of the intersection between art and health. Art therapy is a growing industry.”
As an art lover and collector, and patron of the arts, Mr Camacho has served on the boards of the National Heritage Board, National Gallery Singapore and NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore. His wife Kim – who is also from the Philippines, and whom he met when they were both studying at Harvard Business School in the 1970s – shares his passion for art.
Eight works from the Camachos’ collection are on loan to and being exhibited at Spain’s Guggenheim Bilbao museum.The collection is on display in their Manila home. While being financially successful was a deciding factor in his early career, he says prospects for art school graduates are very different now.