P.R. Laws tit. 23, § 8004
With the purpose of achieving the ends and purposes stated in § 8003 of this title, it is hereby declared that, in addition to the “Artisanry Development Program of the Industrial Development Company” established in said section, the Popular Arts and Artisanry Program of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, as well as the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, the Department of Education, the Cooperative Development Administration and the University of Puerto Rico, are essential entities for their attainment. Therefore, they shall have the functions and responsibilities stated below, for the implementation of the public policy of the artisanry sector.
(a) Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. — The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, established by §§ 1195 et seq. of Title 18, through its Popular Arts and Artisanry Division and pursuant to the purposes of its organization and establishment, as the said sections provides, shall continue to carry out the efforts and work of anthropological studies and investigation for Puerto Rican artisanry, and shall be responsible for, without it being understood as a limitation, to:
(1) Establish, with the help of the Board, the Artisanry Investigation Center, to carry out studies and investigations of the historical and cultural aspects of Puerto Rican artisanry, and to rescue, preserve and promote the history of the Puerto Rican artisanry, which has not yet been compiled. These investigations shall be published for the knowledge of our people, in books, pamphlets, newspapers, photographs, movies and other information media. These shall be distributed to the schools and libraries of the country and other educational centers. This Artisanry Investigation Center shall have at least three persons attached to the same as Director, Research Assistant and Secretary. This Center shall begin operating 180 days after the enactment of this act.
(2) With the Board’s advice, mint commemorative medals of consecrated past and present Artisanry Masters.
(3) Designate, in agreement with the Board, the Artisanry Masters of Puerto Rico, submitting their designation for the signature of the Governor of Puerto Rico.
(4) Offer information and orientation to the community on everything related to artisanry, through demonstrations, conferences, workshops, pamphlets, publications or exhibitions, and by any other adequate means.
(5) Hold competitions or contests on the many manifestations of artisanry and grant purchasing awards to the artisans favored in such competitions or contests.
(6) Organize and hold artisanry fairs in the various cities and towns of Puerto Rico, as well as in Puerto Rican communities outside of the country.
(7) Participate, with the right to voice and vote, through its Executive Director or a duly-authorized representative, on the Advisory Board of the Artisanry Development Program.
(8) Organize, establish and administer the Museum of Puerto Rican and Caribbean Artisanry, with the artisanry collections it has in its vaults and the donations of artisanry pieces from the Economic Development Administration, the Tourist Company, artisans and the private industry. The same shall be located in a site of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and shall be inaugurated in July of 1996.
(b) Tourist Company. — The Puerto Rico Tourist Company, established by §§ 671 et seq. of this title, shall be responsible within the framework of its functions and powers, for promoting the acquisition and purchase of Puerto Rican artisanry among the tourists and foreign visitors to the Island, with the responsibility of:
(1) Advertising the workshops, exhibitions, distribution and sale of Puerto Rican artisanry in its publications and tourist information centers.
(2) Promote written and graphic information of the samples of Puerto Rican artisanry and of their workshops and for their centers sale in hotels, paradores, restaurants and tourist centers.
(3) Participate with the right to voice and vote, through its Executive Director or its duly-authorized representative, on the Advisory Board.
(4) Hold competitions or contests on the many manifestations of artisanry and grant purchasing awards to the artisans who win such competitions or contests.
(5) Organize and hold artisanry fairs in the various cities and towns of Puerto Rico, as well as in Puerto Rican communities outside of the country.
(6) Artisanry routes. — Continue the development and promotion of the same for the benefit of the tourists, visitors and the Puerto Rican people in general.
(c) Department of Education. — The Department of Education, by virtue of Act No. 68 of August 28, 1990, known as the “Organic Act of the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”, has the responsibility of developing in the students of the public education system of the country, an appreciation of the manifestations of human creativity, among other attributes and traits.
The Department of Education offers options, specifically, through the Specialized Schools Unit, alternatives for the development of those students with skills and abilities such as the arts, at the Visual Arts Central School in Santurce and the School of Fine Arts in Ponce.
Therefore, the Department of Education shall coordinate with the Artisanry Development Program all matters related to the formation of new groups of artisans and the organization and holding of competitions, contests, fairs, exhibitions and other activities such as the annual presentation of the Children’s Artisanry Medal and the Youth’s Artisanry Medal.
(d) University of Puerto Rico. — The University of Puerto Rico, governed by §§ 601 et seq. of Title 18, in coordination with the Artisanry Development Program of the Economic Development Administration established in this chapter, shall contribute to the technical and professional development of the artisans. To such effects, the Program, with the help of the Board, shall coordinate the needed resources with the University of Puerto Rico to offer courses to artisans for:
(1) The technical development of the artisans’ handiwork with the purpose of improving their production level.
(2) Managerial education to artisans, so they recognize and improve their endeavors in the various aspects of their creative activity.
(3) The professional development of the artisans, pursuant to the objectives of this chapter.
The agreements or understandings reached with the Artisanry Development Program on the courses or programs for the professional development of the artisans, shall establish the conditions and requirements of the teaching staff and provide the benefit of scholarships and financial aid for the artisans. The design of these courses or programs shall be consulted with the Board. These programs or courses shall also promote the teaching of apprentices in the workshops or places of work of the artisans in the Cultural Centers attached to the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture.
(e) Artisanry promoters. — To such effects, the creation of the position of artisanry promoter in the following government dependencies is suggested:
(1) Department of Education
(2) Department of Commercial and Economic Development
(3) Sports and Recreation Department
(4) Department of Environmental and Natural Resources
(5) Department of Housing
(6) Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
(7) University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
(8) Cooperative Development Administration.
In coordination with the Board, the artisanry promoters would develop a working plan, including the establishment of a “tools bank” to help the artisans served by said government dependency, which would be approved by the chief of the government entity to which said promoter is attached. They would render an annual written report on their efforts to the Board and to the Legislature.
(f) Cooperative Development Administration. — The Cooperative Development Administration, pursuant to the provisions of Act No. 89 of June 21, 1966, in coordination with the Artisanry Development Program of the Industrial Development Company established in this chapter, shall contribute to the creation of artisan cooperatives.
In addition, the Program shall coordinate with the Cooperative Development Administration, the offering of alternatives for developing youth school cooperatives with artisanal skills and abilities.
History —Aug. 11, 1995, No. 166, § 5; Aug. 14, 1997, No. 80, § 1; Sept. 21, 2007, No. 124, § 3.