The Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) is the only center in Texas and the Southwest affiliated with the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP) for ongoing programming that cannot otherwise be experienced in this region. Founded in 1997 by Taino blood-descendant Dr. Ana María Tekina-eirú Maynard, our nonprofit 501(c)(3) mission is to promote cultural awareness and pride through performing arts programs and cultural events based in Puerto Rican folklore, history, and living traditions -- dance, music, community theatre, ancestral fighting arts, and Indigenous Taino heritage. Our physical location in East Austin is home to Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance (PRFDance), our performing company of dancers, musicians, and juniors who are ambassadors of Puerto Rico's cultural heritage in Texas. Our achievement and quality have been validated since 2001 by annual support from the National Endowment for the Arts (most years), Texas Commission on the Arts, City of Austin Cultural Arts Division, NEA Chairman's Award (2007), Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (since 2011). From 2018-2022, we received multi-year support from Bloomberg Philanthropies in Arts Innovation and Management that helped grow our Board.

Our Community Programs:

• Puerto Rico has a rich heritage based in Taino, West African, and Spanish roots. Trained by Island Masters, our cultural center is a focal point in the Southwest for unique programs that target our historically underserved community and draw tourism to our city's vibrant cultural landscape. In today's climate of racial intolerance, we are "subtle activists" inspiring the community at-large to "fall in love" with our Afro-Indigenous Boricua culture through the sharing of our joyful traditions. We are the only center on the Mainland with expertise to authentically teach and present the full cross-section of Puerto Rico's cultural heritage -- Afro-Boricua (Bomba, Plena), Mountain (Jibaro), Salon (Danza), ancestral fighting arts (Cokobale), and Taino music and dance (Areyto). We spiral Puerto Rico's history with cultural arts to offer programs in folkloric music and dance, percussion, community theatre, ancestral fighting arts, and our Taino heritage.
• Our programs include both informal performances and mainstage productions that give students of all ages an opportunity to participate -- preschool through professional adults. We provide annual training and performance opportunities with Puerto Rican masters. We bring special workshops to local schools with significant at-risk populations, including K-12 and colleges. Our original bilingual plays based in oral history honor unsung heroes and bring to light forgotten elements of Puerto Rican heritage. Featuring live music, dance and community theatre, our musicals give opportunity for beginners to perform with professional actors, and seasoned professionals a platform to develop multidisciplinary skills.
• Our cultural center is a sanctuary for the rapidly growing Puerto Rican community in Central Texas; in the spirit of our welcoming culture, we adopt anyone who wants to join! Our multipurpose facility makes it possible to expand our outreach and grow community through the sharing of well-loved traditions including interactive picnics with live folklore; important holiday celebrations (Octavitas with the Reyes Mago); workshops to pass-on childhood games (trompos/tops) and ancestral sports (Taino Batu ballgame), and more!
• We share Taino history and traditions, music, dance, language, and more. Our active indigenous community -- Yara Taino & Guaytiao -- celebrates our living traditions and shares how we live in relationship with Nature, everyday!