As in many countries in Central America, Honduras is experiencing rapid change.  The political system is stabilizing, the export industry is growing and the tourism sector is taking shape.  With these changes in view the Honduran Government with the support of the Millennium Development Goals Fund launched a plan to decentralize cultural policy initiatives to cities and villages by creating a nationwide network of Houses of Culture to support local cultural industry endeavors. 

Since 2008, the new centres for culture in La Lima, Tela, Choluteca, Santa Rosa de Copán, la Esperanza, Puerto lempira, Taulabee and Tegucigalpa have been providing spaces for the enjoyment, production and exhibition of local cultural industries. Managed by Regional Cultural Councils, the Houses of Culture have financed 80 projects that have provided young people with arts training and skills development and provided 56 handicraft businesses with new management and production techniques.

Santa Rosa de Copán, a village of 42,000 people, set in the Western mountain region boasts a bustling city centre and vibrant cultural life. The House of Culture in Santa Rosa de Copán, located in a restored building from 1874, regularly hosts music lessons, theatre recitals and modern dance performances.  It also hosts training workshops for local indigenous groups that aims to encourage new product lines and increase the quality and production numbers of local earthenware, textile and jewellery makers.

The workshops are based on a “Guide for Training Craft Organization in Product Development” that was designed specifically to increase the management and administrative skills of the indigenous Lenca, Mayachouti and Garifuna craft workers of the country. Of the new businesses launched across the country more than 50% are managed and composed of women craft persons.