The municipal contribution will promote research, awareness and community participation in a tradition with over five centuries of history.
The La Laguna City Council has signed an annual collaboration agreement with the Cruces de Mayo Ciudad de La Laguna Association, allocating €15,000 from the Cultural Heritage Department for the preservation, research and promotion of a tradition that spans more than five centuries. This funding is part of the 2026 Strategic Grant Plan, which anticipates over €1.16 million in municipal support for institutions, groups, and entities involved in the promotion of cultural and both material and immaterial heritage in La Laguna.
The Mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, highlighted that the signing of the agreement “reinforces the commitment of the City Council to a cultural manifestation that has been part of La Laguna’s identity since the 16th century and continues to evolve thanks to the persistent efforts of dozens of local residents. This collaboration demonstrates our determination to nurture a living heritage that fosters community, participation and historical continuity.”
The Councillor for Cultural Heritage, Adolfo Cordobés, noted that this grant “is part of a municipal strategy that prioritises heritage as a key element of social cohesion, identity, and cultural development. This agreement ensures that the Association can continue its essential work in preserving and promoting intangible heritage while introducing this tradition to new generations.”
With this agreement, the City Council reaffirms its commitment to protecting both material and immaterial cultural heritage within the municipality, establishing a stable collaboration model with entities that keep the Lagunera traditions alive and contribute to the cultural projection of the area.
Annual Support Programme for Cultural and Heritage Entities
This year, the Department of Cultural Heritage is managing over €470,000 in grants aimed at entities that play a crucial role in the conservation of Lagunera heritage. Beneficiaries include the Junta de Hermandades y Cofradías, the CICOP Foundation, the Ibero-American Chair of Cultural Routes at the ULL, the Cultural Association El Castrejón de Geneto, and the Tenerife Bishopric. Additionally, there is a municipal fund of €180,000 for the rehabilitation of heritage-interest properties, with a recent call for applications now open.
In addition to these agreements enacted by the Cultural Heritage Department, the City Council has an extensive programme of cultural and heritage grants, which includes support for various local organisations, amounting to nearly €700,000 annually.
Beneficiary organisations include the Ateneo de La Laguna, the Corazones de Tejina Association, the Institute of Canary Studies, La Librea de Valle de Guerra, the Cultural Association of the Three Kings of Tejina, Orfeón La Paz, the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country, the Centre for Canarian Popular Culture, the sociocultural associations El Pico, Calle Abajo and Calle Arriba, the Association of Nativity Scene Creators, the Former Students Association of the ULL, and the Fundación Los Sabandeños, among others.
