Archivo del Patrimonio Fotográfico y Fílmico del Valle del Cauca Biblioteca Departamental Jorge Garcés Borrero

History and Founding

The Archivo del Patrimonio Fotográfico y Fílmico del Valle del Cauca is held and administered by the Biblioteca Departamental Jorge Garcés Borrero in Cali, under a cooperation agreement with the Secretaría de Cultura Departamental of the Valle del Cauca regional government. The archive was formally recognised at a national level in October 2020, when it was admitted to the Red Nacional de Archivos Históricos Colombianos (REDNAHC) of the Archivo General de la Nación Jorge Palacios Preciado, pursuant to Law 594 of 2000. A partnership established in 2011 between the Biblioteca Departamental and the Universidad Icesi facilitated the online dissemination of the archive's collections.

In 2002, the archive received the Andrés Bello Award ("Somos Patrimonio") from the Convenio Andrés Bello in recognition of its work preserving regional documentary heritage, which enabled further investment in digitisation and public access.

Collections and Holdings

The archive holds approximately 70,000 photographs and a significant body of film material documenting the history and everyday life of the Valle del Cauca department. Its collections are organised into thematic funds including Fondo Valle del Cauca, Fondo Diario Occidente, Fondo Paisaje Cultural Cafetero, and Fondo Cali Ciudad Visible. Topics covered include daily life, education, sport, local municipalities, events, transport, development, natural disasters, people, and nature. The archive also custodies rare film material including two short films by Kathleen Romoli, a pioneering figure in Colombian cinema who arrived in the country in 1937.

Relevance to Journalism and Media History

The Fondo Diario Occidente — the photographic archive of Diario Occidente, one of Cali's main regional newspapers — is among the most research-relevant holdings for media and journalism historians. Together with other press-related photographic funds, it documents the visual coverage and editorial priorities of regional journalism in southwestern Colombia across the twentieth century.

Access and Usage

The archive is physically accessible at the Biblioteca Departamental Jorge Garcés Borrero in Cali. Digital collections are accessible online via a searchable platform hosted in partnership with the Universidad Icesi. The REDNAHC accreditation provides the archive with special protections and technical assistance from the Archivo General de la Nación.