About Mana Art Academy
About Irene & Mana Art Academy
Hi, I’m Irene Chan — a writer, entrepreneur, and homeschooling mom of two.
Our family recently shifted to the Charlotte Mason method, and one idea from her philosophy changed the way I see education forever: cultural capital.
Cultural capital is like wealth, but instead of money, it’s measured in experiences, art exposure, creativity, curiosity, and the freedom to explore ideas. The more a child is exposed to beauty, expression, and imagination, the richer their inner world becomes. And the more equipped they are to think deeply, create boldly, and live a full, meaningful life.
And that’s when it hit me:
My kids are lucky.
We homeschool. We have time. We have materials. We have access to museums and art supplies. But while searching for art classes, I realized something heartbreaking: many children don’t get the same chance.
Where I live, art classes often start at ₱2,500 per session. I even found one priced at ₱15,000. And although there are more affordable options out there, the reality is this:
If art is expensive, cultural capital becomes a privilege.
But it shouldn’t be.
Art should be accessible — for any age, any background, and any income level.
Creativity shouldn’t be gated. It should be shared.
The Vision:
That’s how Mana Art Academy was born.
The long-term vision is bold:
✨ Build an art school that is practical and accessible
✨ Give every child (and adult!) access to high-quality art education
✨ Make creative enrichment a right, not a luxury
But every dream starts with a first step.
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For now, Mana Art Academy begins as a small corner of the internet with a very clear purpose:
The Mission: Show That an Artist’s Life Is Possible
In many Filipino households, art is seen as a hobby — not a career.
We’re often encouraged to take “practical” paths like nursing, IT, or corporate jobs.
I know this because I lived it.
I wanted to be a writer ever since I could read. But when it was time to choose a course, I was asked to pick between nursing and information technology. At the last minute, I chose Broadcast Communication instead, simply because I wanted to love what I studied for four years. Later, I took a second major in Literature to support the writer I wanted to become.
But even then, life didn’t go according to the script.
After college, I didn’t land a writing job. I worked in a call center because it was the most stable path available. It took me three years before I finally quit to pursue writing from home.
That’s when I discovered SEO.
I studied it, practiced it, and slowly built a career around it.
Today, I run an SEO agency with more than 20 team members.
It’s not the exact writing path I once imagined — I used to dream of publishing fiction — but the story isn’t over. I still write short stories, and I’ll probably share some of them here.
Why Mana Art Academy Exists
I want Filipino kids (and adults) to know this:
Art is not a dead end. Creativity is not a waste of time. A creative life is possible and worth pursuing.
You can be practical and be an artist.
You can work in tech or healthcare and still paint, write, compose, design, act, or create.
You don’t have to choose one or the other.
Through Mana Art Academy, I hope to:
- Highlight artists who have built sustainable creative careers
- Share stories of courage, discipline, and possibility
- Offer free or accessible art lessons, prompts, and activities
- Build a community where creativity is celebrated, not dismissed
- Eventually, create an art school that opens its doors to anyone who dreams in color
