Creativity knows no boundaries, and Canva, a global visual communications platform, is committed to empowering Filipino creators by providing them with the tools, resources, and global platforms needed to showcase their talent.
Photo: Canva
With the continuous growth of the design community in the Philippines, Canva continues to supporting local artists and designers through community building initiatives and an ongoing focus on accessibility and innovation.
“Empowering creatives here in the Philippines is something that we are incredibly passionate about,” said Angelo Cuyegkeng, Creative Lead at Canva Philippines. “We’re proud to be able to offer Filipino creators a global stage to share their work with the world.”
Since its inception over a decade ago, Canva’s local campus in the Philippines has grown from 35 designers to over 250. Canva’s efforts to nurture local talent have led to the creation of Creative Lab, a community-building initiative that connects Filipino creatives with global design trends, skills development, and each other. The event serves as a platform to highlight the stories of Filipino designers, encouraging them to push the boundaries of design and visual storytelling.
One of the key areas of focus for Canva in the Philippines is the platform’s Creator Program which offers local artists the opportunity to design and share templates on Canva. Through this program, creators like Kaye and Gerard, who transitioned from 9-to-5 jobs to become full-time designers, have found not only financial success but also creative freedom.
For Kaye and Gerard, the ability to work from home while balancing family life was a turning point that made their shift to full-time creators possible.
“It was a fulfilling journey,” Kaye shared. “Being able to design and have creative freedom while raising our daughter has been a game changer for us.”
Through the Creator Program, Canva enables designers to create in their unique styles, from minimalist, vibrant, to culturally relevant. Canva’s commitment to localizing designs is another crucial element that resonates with Filipino creators: “Providing relevant designs for our communities is part of what we call our Truly Local strategy. It’s important because it helps empower more people to reach their goals with the platform.”
By ensuring culturally relevant content and offering a wide variety of resources tailored to the needs of the Philippine market, Canva fosters an environment where local designers can thrive. This approach not only empowers creators but also enhances the impact of their work on the global stage.
Angelo Cuyegkeng is the design lead for Canva in the Philippines
“By leveraging Canva’s tools, like Visual Suite and AI-powered design features, Filipino creators can easily collaborate and elevate the quality of their designs,” said Angelo. Gerard also recognizes the benefits of Canva’s efforts to build communities and make collaborative tools available. “We now have our very own community manager and that’s where collaborations among local creators started. With these tools, it’s very easy to create one design even when you’re in different places.”
As part of its ongoing efforts, Canva will continue to offer resources and support to local creatives. The company is expanding its community engagement through events and challenges, encouraging creators to collaborate, share knowledge, and explore new creative possibilities. Canva’s dedication to making design accessible to all ensures that the next generation of Filipino designers has the opportunity to hone their craft and make an impact on the world.
