From Project Glocal founder and lead curator Dayang Yraola's curatorial notes:
The theme for Transi(en)t Manila is technology+heritage+people. These are three disparate actors in the present urban society. Putting them as theme of Transi(en)t Manila hypothesized that there exists a system of confluence between people, technology and heritage.
Artists involved in the project are required to create site-specific works employing a technology of their choice (mechanical, electronic, digital, etc.). Site-specificity in this case is defined in two threads: (1) the work has to be built specifically to fit, work with, enhance, challenge the spaces in Escolta, Manila; and (2) the work has to explore, reflect and react to the history, condition and image of Escolta as heritage business district.
Artists are given 13 days to build his/her project. Specific sites and spaces chosen along Escolta Street will be open to the public during the time of installation and production. This, on one hand, will allow artists to clearly understand how the site actually operates, and on the other, this will give guests a rare experience in attending an "open studio" and to watch the new media artists at work.
Outputs will be launched on specific dates as installations, performance, labs and exhibitions spread throughout the thirteen day period.
There are three expectations on the artists projects: (1) it has to be technologically-telling, which means that it would allow the audience to recognize the technology that was used to build the work and how it adapts to the heritage site; (2) it is culturally relatable, which means that the culture of the artists and that of the audience is reflected on the work; (3) it is aesthetically inclusive, which means that the work should consider different aesthetic competencies of a diverse audience, as broad as something called the "general public."