ECHO LDN 2026 - SALO SALO: Come Together (a British Filipino home)
About this Event
Over the course of this week, expect:
- Spanning Liverpool's 1800s Little Manila to today's London Filipino food scene - 1 interactive exhibition covering 9 topics rendered into art pieces by 5 British Filipina artists (illustrated maps, oral histories rendered into 1 page profiles, video montages/ soundscapes of home, in both the UK and the Philippines).
5 creative workshops (on archiving, language and regional textiles):
- Evening: for teenagers + adults - an introduction to the ancient script of Baybayin, led by John L Leyson, the graphic designer who has interpolated the 17 characters to make it easier to translate from Filipino to English, and learn English.
- Daytime: jewellery engraving by Aking Sinta
- Daytime: for young families - decorating jeepneys and reimagining London buses with the same vibrancy and artistry as Filipino public transport
- Daytime: In collaboration with Royal Geographical Society - an introduction to the Filipino archives. Just as Voice ESEA and Chelsea Laylo are creating the first British Filipino archive through this project, this workshop will further engage the public in the lost art of investigating archives.
- Daytime: (For ages 10+) Paper weaving with textiles curator and researcher, Phoebe Singzon, inspired by the patterns and colours of Philippine and British heritage textiles.
2 panel discussions:
- Filipino London food scene- what's next?: There’s 7,000+ islands in the Philippines but upcoming Filipino food culture in London is known for adobo, sinigang and ube flavoured drinks as if food culture is monolithic. What would need to change for Filipino restauranteurs in London to brand their food with the regional specificity that (as an example, Chinese) restaurants (Sichuan, Cantonese, Xi’anese, Taiwanese) have been able to make their USPs? What trends have they noticed in their audience? What’s worked and what hasn’t? A conversation about marketing food over the last decade - the drivers for change and the opportunity for innovation.
- Filipino artefacts… in the basement? A conversation with the Royal Geographic Society, Prof. Cristina Juan of SOAS, and Museum of the Home’s Lara Bacglin about the factors shaping exhibitions- who wants to see what, how do we wean those norms in, and what impact can we make by including these stories in the normal narrative?
1 Film screening of Raging Grace
Shop, interlaced with the exhibition:
- ARAW ice cream tasters placed beneath the food culture maps
- Book shop curated by A Tree in Bani - focused on Filipino Britishness (non-fiction, but also fictional options for children + young families)
- Merch: copies of our illustrated maps on postcards and tea towels
Come hungry to learn.
Agenda
FREE exhibition
Info: From Wednesday 2nd to Monday 7th September, come and explore our exhibition delving into the richness and diversity of British Filipino history and culture curated by Voice ESEA and more than 50 Filipino volunteers.
Wednesday 2nd September - opening night ceremony
Info: British Filipino musicians perform and entice the public to enter. Introduce them to the upcoming events over the course of the week. With Muriel Gonzalez and Half East Records. Catered by Beloved's Cucina.
Thursday 3rd September - lunchtime cooking workshop
Info: Mango graham making (for young families) with Beloved's Cucina.
Friday 4th September - lunchtime archiving workshop
Info: What Filipino artefacts are stored in British institutions? With Royal Geographical Society.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Saturday 5th September - lunchtime weaving workshop
Info: Paper weaving with Phoebe Singzon
Saturday 5th September - lunchtime language workshop
Info: Glocalised Baybayin with John NL Leyson.
Saturday 5th September - afternoon panel
Info: Tech, language and archiving - what's next? With John NL Leyson and Dr Cristina Juan, hosted by Chelsea Laylo.
Saturday 5th September - evening film screening of "Raging Grace"
Info: Critically-acclaimed British Filipino thriller directed and co-written by Paris Zarcilla. Introduced by soundscape artist Gabby Lauren.
Sunday 6th September - morning creative workshop
Info: Baybayin engraving with Aking Sinta Jewellery.
Sunday 6th September - lunchtime panel
Info: The London Filipino food scene - where'd it start and where is it going? Hosted by Mel Legarda of Eastern Hunnies, Mark from Adobros, Florence Mae from 1996 Group, and Roni B.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00 to GBP 54.88
