Businessman Converts Old Hotel Into Cebu’s Newest Art Hub

Businessman Allen Arvin Tan (in photo above) has accepted the challenge of leading the relaunch of an old hotel in Cebu City. But he presented a different kind of concept, which was far from what was expected of him. Instead of refurbishing the rooms, he converted them into art studios in a compound called Atúa Midtown.

Owned by his in-laws, the property, which used to be rented by Eddie’s Hotel, is strategically located in the midtown area on F. Manalo Street and General Maxilom Avenue, a major thoroughfare heading south.

Tan tapped architect Buddy Lim Ong and designer Mona Alcudio-Ong of Studio Unosinotra to improve the building's structural orientation. 

“My mother-in-law was looking for a project to keep her productive and occupied. Given the opportunity to manage this property, she proposed a plan to her siblings, and then enlisted me to help her with the implementation,” said Tan, who is married to Jennifer Toledo, a medical doctor, with whom he has two children, Sabrina, 14, and Noah, 16.

Admittedly, the 46-year-old Cebuano was hesitant with the family’s original concept. “Her initial intent was to renovate and run the hotel, but I had neither the expertise nor the desire to go into the hospitality business. My idea was instead to convert the hotel rooms into commercial and office spaces given the building’s unique layout,” he continued.

Atúa Pop-Up Space Unit 101 is available for different pop-up  concepts. Photo shows the first pop-up store called “Maayong Bungkag” with posters of its entries to the Cebu Art Book Fair.

Tan tapped architect Buddy Lim Ong and designer Mona Alcudio-Ong of Studio Unosinotra to improve its structural orientation. They followed a process described as “conscious and adaptive transformation.” One of the noticeable changes they made was the construction of a covered court at the main atrium to encourage socialization. Furthermore, renaming it was also an important detail he did not want to overlook, so he chose “atua” from the Cebuano word, which means “ours.”

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Artistic Growth Space

Since the first week of October, the rooms have been occupied by both Cebu’s established and upcoming artists. These include indigenous fabrics curated by Anya Lim of Anthill, sustainable furniture at Holicow by industrial designer Debbie Palao, and fashion jewelry at Ooma by Butch Carungay. A few more novelty shops such as Siyam Souvenirs and bookbindery, alongside Happy Garaje’s Studio and Quick Brown Fox leather craft and restoration, have opened.

Meanwhile, bringing in a youthful vibe is Studio Amping, organized by a trio of illustrators and tattoo artists. The neighborhood cafés Luna Gazette, Mr. Garfield’s Ginger Ale, and Owl Book Bar are set to become part of the compound before the year ends. “In only a couple of months, we filled up our available spaces right away. To new and creatively-led businesses, we offered an ‘incubation grant,’ which allowed them to take more chances and realize their dream concepts,” he shared.

Neue Design Store (Unit 107) of Atúa Midtown.

But the ideal tenants were already in his network because most of them are participants of Tubo Art Fair, an art movement he founded in 2018 in his capacity as trustee of the Cebu Arts Council Foundation, Inc. Moreover, it is an annual gathering of over 500 artists and 100 exhibitions from Visayas and Mindanao, hosted in Cebu City.

“Tubô was really a huge catalyst for Atùa. Seeing how much talent and energy was in our local arts scene made me want to find a way to channel that from a once-a-year occasion to something long-term. We hope give our local arts scene a venue to flourish by providing accessible pop-up and gallery spaces for workshops, exhibits, and installations,” said Tan. 

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Cebu's Art Scene

He then went on with his observation of the local scene and how it would affect the future. “Our arts landscape in Cebu is still very much in the developmental stage. In terms of Cebuano art history, we need better documentation," Tan said. "In terms of the art market, we are so far away from what it is in Manila or most other major cities. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, there is a need to develop new collectors and a wider appreciation of the different styles out there. Cebu is very well-known for our fantastic realist painters, but we also have a wonderful new batch of contemporary artists pushing the art form forward.”

Creativity and entrepreneurship are two inherent qualities that Tan possessed at a young age. He grew up in a Cebuano-Chinese household where he was already exposed to various interests. His father, Danny, an architect, encouraged him to draw his cartoon characters while his mother, Marlinda, a theater actor and journalist, introduced him to established Cebuano visual artists.

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“My parents also used to have a dinner theater club called Tuxedo Junction in the '80s, where my brother and I were able to watch plays and see the goings-on backstage for free. This was probably way before its time—but it also showed us that arts and business can go hand-in-hand,” recalled Tan, who earned his degree in communication at the Ateneo de Manila University.

But true enough, outside the arts circle, he sits as managing director in the family-owned franchised branches of Chowking, Pepper Lunch, Happy Lemon, and Kenny Rogers Roasters. The largest he handles daily are Shakey’s Pizza Restaurant with 12 stores and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf with 23 stores, including commissaries in Cebu, Bohol, and Davao.

“One of my most inspiring business gurus was the late professor Ed Morato. He was a huge advocate of creativity in business. He always espoused the importance of being creative in venturing out and problem solving in entrepreneurship. Thinking outside of the box is what works in both worlds,” Tan added.

Still, for him, the same principle applies for artists to earn and flourish longer in the industry. “From seeing and dealing with a wide range of artists, I have observed that it is best to practice professionalism in all dealings, to stay humble but also not to shortchange yourself or your talent, and to just keep doing the work,” he ended.