Unlike many one-time surveys or external assessments, this project is rooted in long-term relationship-building and community leadership. The Cultural Treasures Project is locally led, with an Advisory Group made up of a broad intersection of residents from across Taos County.
This isn’t just about collecting data — it’s about honoring lived experience, community knowledge, and cultural lifeways. We’re working collaboratively, with shared decision-making, to define what matters most to our communities.
We’re also prioritizing transparency and action: findings from this project will inform policy recommendations, resource-sharing, and community benefits agreements, not sit on a shelf. And we’re working across sectors — arts, culture, ecology, economic development, and planning — to ensure this work leads to real impact for the people and places of Taos County.
Finally, we’re building tools for the community, like an interactive public-facing ArcGIS map and StoryMaps, so the results are accessible, usable, and remain a living resource for years to come.