The municipality of Chapala has been designated to become a new and vibrant regional hub for cultural activities, announced Jalisco Minister of Culture Giovana Jaspersen during a meeting with local representatives of all forms of artistic expression.
The session was held Wednesday, October 30 at the Auditorio de la Ribera.
About 90 people of diverse nationalities were in attendance as Jaspersen opened the gathering with the presentation of the state government’s plans to decentralize the cultural ministry’s operations to five regions spread around the state, located roughly at four cardinal points on the state map. The five hubs, called Cultural Stations, will be developed in Mezquitic to the north, Zapotlán el Grande to the south, Lagos de Moreno at east, Puerto Vallarta on the west coast and Chapala at the center.
Each station will be designed and equipped to house exhibition salons, multi-use spaces for classes and workshops, a forum for performances and meetings, a library and reading room, a gift shop, sleeping quarters, a warehouse and offices. Each has been assigned with a distinctive identity and vocation pertinent to its geography, population and cultural strengths.
Chapala’s regional station will be headquartered in Ajijic at the Auditorio de la Ribera, which is to be totally revamped with a budget of 17 million pesos. It will serve as the cultural focal point for 16 municipalities situated on or near Lake Chapala’s shores. Due to is location and importance as a Wixárika (Huichol) sacred site, it is identified by the theme Water and the Gods.
Following her 60-minute presentation, Jaspersen opened up the floor to a free dialogue, with the audience circled around her on the auditorium stage and the seats below it. Over the next three hours, participants voiced many suggestions and brought up pressing needs experienced by those who promote and work in all types of cultural pursuits, including music, dance, theater, plastic and literary arts. Jaspersen listened attentively, shared in commentaries and collected notes on some specific issues.