Craft promotion: An experience from the community

Abstract

The article examines the experience of artisan promotion in the Union of Pottery Artisans of La Victoria, Cotopaxi, focusing on the process of cultural and technological transformation of the community. Cultural promotion, understood as an effort to promote specific goals and develop cultural expressions, is materialized through strategies that raise awareness of the community about its heritage and promote its active participation. Through a combination of testimonies and institutional criteria, it presents how the Union faced challenges related to health and the environment, derived from the use of toxic materials in pottery. The article documents the efforts made to overcome these problems through technological innovation, the training of new leaders, and organizational strengthening. The experience underlines the importance of community participation and institutional support in the revitalization of traditional artisan practices, highlighting the recovery and valorization of cultural heritage as a means for sustainable development.