The Arts Division is primarily concerned with the collection, maintenance and exhibition of the art works by Filipino artists, including, painting, pieces of sculpture, graphic arts, photography and other art forms. The aim is to be able to delineate the various developments in the history of Philippine art by way of the art pieces. It also provides services including evaluation and authentication of art works conducted by a panel of experts from the private sector, art classes and similar sessions; and technical assistance to other institutions.

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1. Authentication and Evaluation of Art Works

The law protecting the Filipino heritage made it mandatory for all art collectors to register their collections with the National Museum. The same law has also charged the National Museum with the evaluation and designation of National Cultural Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Hence, a Panel of Authenticators was created by the National Museum to study and deliberate on the authenticity of the art pieces. These panel is composed of a Chairman and two members. The Chief of the Arts Division is also included as an Ex-officio member and also a signatory to the Certificate of Authentication of the art pieces.

An official authentication and evaluation of the art work is affixed to the registration certificate which serves as a document of the authenticity of the art work. Once the art work is authentic, the registrant has to pay the National Museum one percent (1%) of the appraised value of the painting. The panel of authenticators convene every second and last Wednesdays of every month.

The Arts Division extends technical assistance to students of different universities regarding their researches about our famous Filipino artists, their biographies and their works. Likewise, the division extends technical assistance to art dealers, art collectors, to foreign and local visitors and other art enthusiasts. In addition, a collaborative services are also extended to various individuals, to public and private entities, like rendering curatorial management, wherein they act as consultants. The division also hosts special lectures, demonstration, interviews and special seminars which are related to arts and culture.

A yearly Summer Art Classes for children are conducted and sponsored by the division. Two sessions are being offered free. The basic art class or the beginners ages 6 to 9 years old and the advanced art class ages 10 to 15 years old. These art classes usually convene during summer time to keep the children busy.

In addition, an outreached program of the division was launched utilizing the out-of-school children to keep them busy during summer time. Summer art classes were also offered free to the different districts of Marikina including the Elementary schools for both the basic and the advanced art classes. The expansion of this outreached program is designed to further raise the level of public awareness of our national artistic heritage.

1. Maintenance Section

Aside from the maintenance of art works, this section is in-charge of collection and preservation. The lack of conservation equipment and facilities do not hamper the day to day efforts of staff in performing the mechanical cleaning of paintings and sculptural pieces, routine dusting of paintings and keeping the storage tidy in such a way that the art pieces are presentable to viewers. This section is also in charge in the divisions acquisition like the donation of contemporary paintings to the agency from private and public entities.

The Exhibition Section conducts scientific researches and the biographies of the following:
a. Biographies and updated works of the National Artists.

b. Biographies and updated works of the "Thirteen Moderns"

c. Biographies and updated works of the National Museum collection artists;  the biographies of many contemporary artists way back the 19th century like Felix Martinez which was sent to the curator of Asian Art, Museo Nacional de Anthropologia, Madrid, Spain.

d. Illustration Studios of:

Philippine Festivities:

Pencil studies of the different Philippine Festivities; likewise, done in watercolor rendition. A salient information on the different festivities that are happening in the Philippines featuring the different customs, traditions as well as the colorful costumes of the different tribes living in the Philippines.

Philippine Historical Events:

A pen and ink rendition of the important historical events that took place in the Philippine history. Aside from these illustrations of our artists, they also work for the different divisions in illustration of posters, folders, and others.
 

e. The division continued the National tradition of presenting abroad cross section of Philippine Art through special exhibition featuring works from the National Museum art collections, selected groups of established and emerging painters and inclusion of guest artists as special features. A calendar of events for the whole year is to be followed and the staff has to plan, organize as well as prepare the materials needed for the exhibitions on that particular event.