Playa del Carmen’s Cultural Boom Under Mercado’s Leadership

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — During the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Sectoral Subcommittee on Culture and Arts of Coplademun, the Municipal Institute of Culture and Arts of Playa del Carmen recognized the leadership of Mayor Estefanía Mercado, whose support has been decisive in consolidating an unprecedented cultural agenda. This was highlighted by its General Director, Ernesto Santiago Martínez Cuéllar, when presenting the activity report for October-November.

In the session, it was reported that the Institute’s workshops currently serve nearly one thousand students, while the City Theater shows recorded a cumulative attendance of 15,000 spectators during the mentioned months, reflecting a growing interest from citizens in artistic and cultural expressions.

Councilor Xelha Dehesa (2030 Agenda Commission) and Councilor Saúl Barbosa (Culture and Sports Commission) congratulated the Institute’s staff for bringing culture to every corner of Playa del Carmen. They agreed that citizen participation has reached unprecedented levels: “We had never seen such high attendance from people at events like Janal Pixan,” they emphasized.

In his message, Martínez Cuéllar stated that “culture is not observed, it is lived in every festival and celebration. We have a diversity that inspires, with the leadership of Estefanía Mercado, whose support has been fundamental in consolidating the cultural agenda of our municipality.”

As part of the report, progress in digital outreach was presented, as well as growth at the Puerto Aventuras House of Music, where the new subcommittee member, Alexa Hernández, reported an enrollment close to 100 students.

The general director thanked the City Council and Municipal Government for the joint work that has allowed offering residents and visitors a wide variety of artistic expressions. He also highlighted the creativity of students and teachers, “whose talent has made it possible to present high-quality programs.”

In turn, the Subdirectorate of Cultural Linkage and Development announced the alliance with the Autonomous University of Quintana Roo, the Technological University of the Riviera Maya, and the Benito Juárez García Welfare University, whose students participated in six chapters of the lecture series “Memory and Identity. Academic Cycle of Cultural Heritage,” with the presence of writers, artists, and historians who enriched the vision of the entity’s past and present.

Representing the Secretariat of Planning and Evaluation, William Guerra, envoy of head Rolando Mario Méndez Navarro, recognized the commitment of the Institute’s staff. Likewise, he emphasized that strengthening culture contributes directly to social cohesion and the reduction of risk factors associated with insecurity.