During the 1980s and 1990s, Ocotlán came upon good times, largely due to the late Rudolfo Morales, the internationally celebrated but locally born artist who dedicated his fortune to improving his hometown.

The Rudolfo Morales Foundation has been restoring churches and other public buildings, reforesting mountainsides, and funding self-help and educational projects all over Ocotlán and its surrounding district. The bright colors of the plaza-front presidencia municipal and the big church nearby result from the good works of Rudolfo Morales.

The Morales Foundation’s local efforts radiate from the Casa de Cultura Rudolfo Morales (Morelos 108, tel. 951/571-0198, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–8 p.m. Mon.–Fri.), in the yellow-painted mansion three doors north from the Ocotlán plaza’s northwest corner. In the Casa Cultura’s graceful, patrician interior, the Morales family and staff manage the foundation’s affairs, teach art and computer classes, and sponsor community events.

The foundation staff welcomes visitors. For advance information, contact the foundation’s headquarters in Oaxaca City (Murguia 105, between Alcalá and 5 de Mayo, tel. 951/514-2324 or 951/514-0910, galeria [at] artedeoaxaca [dot] com, www.artedeoaxaca.com, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–8 p.m. Mon.–Sat.).