The University Center for Culture and the Arts (UCCA) traces its beginnings in 1974, with the organization Buklod Sining, a central cultural body comprised of the following cultural groups: Dulambuhay, Himig Lahi (a faculty choral group), Bagong Himig, Banda Kawayan, Rondalla, Brass Band, and the PCC Dance Troupe.
The 1976 University Reorganization Plan included in the university structure the Cultural Development Office (CDO) which was placed under the Office of the Vice President for Institutional Development. Before the creation of the CDO, cultural programs were undertaken without benefit of direction from a formal university unit. Consequently, there were no defined objectives or programs.
The University President then had visions of instituting a “cultural renaissance” in the University to make it one of the dynamic “cultural centers” in the country. These visions were to be ambitiously achieved by an educational institution which did not have formal courses in the arts but had only people with the abilities and talents to accomplish the tasks.
With the designation of a Director and an Assistant Director, the Cultural Development Office was formally organized on October 1, 1980. On November 17, 1980 the University President issued Office Order No. 6, s. 1980 renaming the Office the University Center for Cultural Affairs (UCCA). This was in line with the concept of integrating and unifying the approaches to cultural development in the academe and to make the University a major center for Filipino cultural development.
On July 3, 1981 the University President issued Office Order No. 1 s. 1981 which placed the supervision and coordination of religious organizations under the University Center for Cultural Affairs. This was in line with the University's objective of satisfying the academic community's need for spiritual fulfillment and the promotion of interfaith endeavors.
When the new administration implemented its reorganization plan in 1987, the unit was renamed University Center for Culture and the Arts (UCCA) and was placed directly under the Office of the Dean for Student Services. A new Chief and two Assistant Chiefs were designated. Under the UCCA umbrella were the following groups: PUP Bagong Himig, PUPLHS Choral Group, PUP Banda Kawayan, PUP Rondalla, PUP Brass Band, PUP Polysound, PUP Maharlika Dance Artists, Filipiniana Dance Troupe, Sining-Lahi State Poly Repertory and the newest addition, the PUP Arnis Club. A result of the reorganization of the PUP structure in 1992 was placing the UCCA under the Office of the Vice President for Student Services.
In 1993 the UCCA was placed under a single chief with an assistant chief, a setup which lasted until 1996. In November of the same year, a director headed the UCCA which was renamed University Center for Cultural Affairs. An assistant director was also designated and the positions of UCCA Chief of Offices were abolished.
In 2012 the UCCA was reorganized. A director was designated and four (4) sections were formed with their respective chiefs: 1. Drama and Performing Arts; 2. Music; 3. Visual Arts; and 3. The PUP Banda Kawayan.
Under a new Director in 2014, the UCCA had undergone a major transformation within its function, revisiting its vision, mission and objectives and applying the core values of 'networking' and 'sharing' in its programs and activities. It has partnered with PUP units and offices as well as art and cultural personalities, institutions, government agencies and private associations within the country in all its activities and programs and has followed the commitment of using the arts as an agent for change.
Cultural organizations had revisited their core functions and some had taken a major repackaging in its development and services. Monthly-themed celebrations and advocacy activities had been put into place. To unify efforts of the student artists, alliances of similar art discipline organizations within the community had been forged. Among these subgroups were the PUP Theatre Alliance, PUP Hiphop Alliance and the PUP Chorale. PUP Bugkos (Bukluran ng Sining sa Pagkilos), an alliance of PUP cultural units was also created to bring the art and cultural services to the PUP branches and campuses.
Three Section Chiefs were envisioned to be placed to handle the cultural organizations. The Music Section include the Bagong Himig Serenata, Harana String Company and the Polysound Band; the Drama and Dance Section include Maharlika Dance Artists and the Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory; the Visual Arts Section include Buklod Sining, PUPil and FilmBayan and the PUP iCons.
To better encapsulate the UCCA as a cultural service provider of the PUP community, it has adapted a new logo bearing the iconic PUP Pylon and the Baybayin symbols representing the three core sections. Aside from cultural performances and representations, UCCA also offers theatre house management, the PUP Cultural Walk, Photo and Video Documentation, Promotion (Modelling) as well as Outreach and Extension Services via Art Workshops and Production Management.
The UCCA had also taken the challenge of developing and strengthening its capability to serve the Sintang Paaralan by upgrading its satellite office (near the main library) housing the Music Section with its string and band instruments, and professionalizing the services of the PUP Theatre located within the COC Compound. Adapting the name, Tanghalang PUP “Ang Tanghalan ng Bayan,” it has been home to major events in culture and the arts within the PUP community.
In 2017, in partnership with the Hasmin Campus, it has established the Hasmin Exhibit Space as a precursor to the envisioned formal exhibit space for the community. It has launched since then a steady line-up of visual artists to be featured strategically within the year in partnership with the members of Panday Pira Professionals, Inc. The following year, the UCCA proposed a permanent exhibit space at the 4th Floor South Wing of the Mabini Campus and submitted a vision of housing all the cultural organizations with formal offices within the PUP Theatre as well as a Studio Room and Music Room for the Music Section. In August, a Film Program was launched in partnership with Cinema is Incomplete (CII) for film appreciation and film education program for the community. In celebration of the Arts Month in February 2019 (with the theme “PUP MadiskARTe!”) the permanent exhibit space was formally called the PUP Protest Gallery with a visual art showcase of almost 40 PUP Artists dubbed as “RePUPlikha 2”.
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