“Young Oaxaca: Art Festival†provides funding to 23 local and emerging artists between the ages of 18 and 39 to create murals and participatory cultural activities in spaces that maintain significant ties to expressions of local intangible cultural heritage, including traditional neighborhood corner stores (“tienditas de barrioâ€).
These artistic interventions seek to revitalize and reimagine public spaces on the outskirts of Oaxaca's Historic Center in order to support visibility, community ownership, and recognition of the cultural practices upheld by the bearers of the region's living heritage.
The first murals created in collaboration with the GalerÃa Arte de Oaxaca are located on the FortÃn stairways and were produced by 13 artists, who invited passersby and local residents to experience the works during an inauguration organized together with the Secretariat of Culture, Education, and Reading Promotion of the municipal government of Oaxaca de Juárez.
In addition, “Guardians of Heritage†provides specialized training to 10 local heritage guides and cultural practitioners in heritage interpretation, pedagogy, and child engagement in order to develop guided tours, playful learning methodologies, and active educational experiences. Around 900 students from third to fifth grade across 30 schools located in the Historic Center and surrounding neighborhoods are expected to participate.
The guides will also create accessible and culturally relevant educational materials to promote recognition of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of Oaxaca's Historic Center and the archaeological zone of Monte Albán as UNESCO World Heritage.
The projects are the result of a series of meetings and collaborative efforts with communities and local authorities to incorporate a cultural and people-centered perspective into urban planning, as well as tourism plans and programs.
