Sa Tahanan: The Filipino Collective Reimagining Creative Spaces in the UAE 

As a Filipino-Lebanese creative raised in Dubai, I understand firsthand the complexity of balancing multiple identities in a city that’s constantly evolving. Growing up here often felt like living between worlds, juggling the rich heritage of family with fast-paced, cosmopolitan surroundings. There’s a sense of belonging everywhere, yet nowhere at once, as though I’m perpetually on the edge of fitting in yet always slightly distant from any true home.  

This feeling isn’t uncommon among Filipinos abroad, many of whom find themselves torn between cultures, unsure where they truly belong. Growing up in a world that is both Filipino and Arab, within a landscape as diverse as the UAE, I often find myself confronting these fragments of who I am. This confusion, this search for wholeness, is a constant thread in the lives of many in the diaspora, especially within creative spaces where identity often forms the basis of one’s work. 

This is where Sa Tahanan, a Filipino collective in the UAE, becomes a lifeline. Discovering Sa Tahanan Co., an arts collective for Filipino creatives, felt like finding a home within a home—a place where identity, culture, and creative expression intersect meaningfully. The collective offers Filipinos a space to gather, express, and redefine what it means to be Filipino in a foreign land. Here, their identity isn’t forgotten or overshadowed; it’s celebrated, reclaimed, and expanded. 

Founded by Anna Bernice delos Reyes and Augustine Paredes, Sa Tahanan represents more than an arts collective but rather, a movement rooted in Filipino values, especially the concept of kapwa, a shared identity and interconnectedness. “Where we are now is so different from where we started,” shares Anna. “In 2020, Augustine and I connected through mutual friends, and there was an instant creative chemistry. We wanted to work together, especially when COVID-19 and multiple typhoons hit the Philippines. Feeling helpless from afar, we thought—why not bring people together and create a show that could support grassroots organisations back home?” This shared vision quickly became the heart of Sa Tahanan’s mission. 

Their recent program, Ang Pagluluto sa Linamnam ng Alaala (Cooking from a Migrant Memory), showcased at the Diriyah Art Biennale, exemplifies their commitment to building community through creative expression. This culinary storytelling initiative brought together recipes and memories from Filipino artists worldwide, offering a sensory experience of Filipino migrant narratives. “It’s a good representation of the community—a powerful way to bring people together,” explains Anna. “There’s a comfort in creating this sense of belonging.” In collaboration with Dhaka-based Britto Arts Trust, the program featured live cooking demonstrations where audiences could experience dishes Filipino-style in a salu-salo (shared meal). It reinforces how food functions as a vessel of identity and adaptation. 

Sa Tahanan’s impact reaches beyond art; it builds community on values of care, reciprocity, and shared progress. “Building this community was about addressing Filipino representation in Dubai’s art scene,” says Anna. “If the city is around 20% Filipino, why doesn’t the arts scene reflect that? Through our programs, we’re challenging the perception that Filipino contributions are limited to service roles, showing the full spectrum of Filipino labour—creative, intellectual, and emotional.” This ambition connects Filipino creatives and expands what Filipino identity represents in the UAE’s cultural landscape. 

One of Sa Tahanan’s first programs—a whirlwind of an art sale, poetry event, and film screening organised in under three weeks—set the foundation for everything since. “If you’re truly passionate about something, you’ll make it happen,” Anna reflects. “Our first programs created a network of Filipino poets, visual artists, and filmmakers who might never have connected otherwise. Now, we have a community group chat with nearly a hundred members sharing resources, job openings, and collaboration opportunities.” This space has evolved into a self-sustaining ecosystem where Filipino creatives support each other’s journeys. 

The initiative’s success is also a counter-narrative to prevalent stereotypes about the Filipino diaspora. “Before moving to the UAE, I had this limited perception of Filipinos in the Gulf,” admits Anna. “The general view often restricts us to service roles, overlooking those of us who are leaders in our fields. Sa Tahanan gives us a platform to highlight Filipinos dominating the creative industries here, reshaping the narrative about what it means to be Filipino in the UAE.” 

Looking ahead, Sa Tahanan’s goal is to build an enduring, self-sustaining community. Anna explains, “Our long-term vision is to create an online community that can operate independently. We want it to be a resource network for Filipino creatives in the UAE, so we’re always expanding our pool of artists and collaborators. Every time we connect with someone new, it grows exponentially through word of mouth. It’s not just about us—it’s about creating a support system for Filipino artists and creatives that will continue beyond us.” 

For Filipino creatives in Dubai, Sa Tahanan is an example of how culture doesn’t just need to be preserved; it can be expanded, adapted, and celebrated in ways that resonate across distances. “We don’t just exist in these spaces; we help shape them,” Anna concludes. 

For me, and for so many Filipino creatives in Dubai, Sa Tahanan represents the possibility of finding pride, connection, and community in unexpected places. They’ve shown us that, even when we’re far from home, we carry pieces of it within us. This collective is a reminder that, as Filipinos, we don’t just exist in these spaces; we help shape them, with care, creativity, and a commitment to lifting each other up. And in that shared purpose, I’ve finally found my place.