CENCOR launches islandwide survey to map Puerto Rico cultural heritage.

The Puerto Rico Center for Conservation and Restoration (CENCOR) has released a new study and survey effort aimed at producing the most comprehensive snapshot to date of the cultural heritage field in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, an area the organization says has long lacked integrated, systematic documentation.

The project, titled “X-ray of Cultural Heritage in Puerto Rico: Diagnosis, Capacities, and Development Opportunities,” is designed to compile data on the sector’s needs, capacities, and growth opportunities , including the supply and demand for conservation services, access to training, and available funding sources, with the goal of supporting sustainable development and informing public policy.

CENCOR said it will publish the findings in an open-access report intended for professionals, students, researchers, and cultural managers. The report is expected to serve as a practical reference for identifying training opportunities, potential funding pathways, and future research needs.

“The cultural heritage sector in Puerto Rico has historically been poorly documented from an integrated perspective,” said CENCOR Director General Hector J. Berdec Hernndez. “As an institution, we have a responsibility to change that to generate the knowledge the sector needs to develop and strengthen its position regionally and internationally.

The research team is collecting responses through a digital survey open until June 21, 2026. CENCOR said it is seeking input from established professionals and researchers, early-career practitioners with five or fewer years of experience, students, owners or administrators of historic properties, collection managers and members of the public interested in heritage conservation.

According to CENCOR, the study is organized into six thematic areas: demographic information; data on the profession; services; training and professional development; access to funding and economic resources; and emerging areas and conclusions. The approach combines cultural ecosystem analysis with market-based tools to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities, including the field’s potential socioeconomic impact.

Berdec Hernndez said cultural heritage ranges from historic buildings and archives to objects and traditions that shape collective identity, and argued that better data can help guide decisions about protecting and activating those assets for education, community engagement, and economic development. Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential, CENCOR said.

The research is supported by Latinos in Heritage Conservation and the Mellon Foundation. CENCOR said the methodological design and data collection are being led by the Center for Creative Economy, an independent organization that specializes in.