About ARTSS Centre

Born from Timor-Leste's Land. Crafted by Timorese Women. Reimagined Through Innovation to Share Our Culture, Values, and Natural Treasures with the World.

The ARTSS Centre Timor-Leste bring together the creativity and resilience of Timorese women, the richness of our land, and the power of innovation, transforming local resources, cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge into products that carry the identity of Timor-Leste to the world.

Introduction

Step into the ARTSS Centre, and you step into the meeting point of Timor-Leste’s art, culture, tourism, and enterprise. ARTSS stands for Art, Retail, Tourism, Souvenir & Services, five words that together describe a single ambition: to give Timor-Leste’s women entrepreneurs, artisans, and producers a home from which their work can reach the world.

This is more than a souvenir shop. It is a platform built on the belief that every product carries a story worth telling, of the hands that shaped it, the land it came from, and the woman whose vision brought it to life.

A

Art

Timor-Leste’s creativity, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage.

R

Retail

A marketplace connecting Timorese products with customers.

T

Tourism

Authentic products and cultural connection for visitors.

S

Souvenir

High-quality souvenirs that carry Timor-Leste’s identity.

S

Services

Product development, branding, and market access support.

Our Story

The ARTSS Centre was established in 2021 by the Associação Empresarial das Mulheres de Timor-Leste (AEMTL), under the USAID Tourism for All Project, in response to a challenge faced by countless Timorese entrepreneurs: talent and tradition without a clear path to market, branding, or the tourists and buyers who would come to value them most.

What began as a space to showcase and sell authentic Timorese products has grown into a hub for cultural and creative industries, connecting local businesses, especially women producers and artisans, with the promotion, branding, and market access they need to thrive.

Building on this foundation, the ARTSS Centre became home to the Brand Timor Initiative, which develops and promotes high-quality Timorese products, including coconut, cocoa, vanilla, and handicrafts, supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) through the Agroforestry Skills for Employment and Resilience Programme in Timor-Leste, funded by the European Union (EU).

Who We Are

The ARTSS Centre is a social enterprise owned and operated by AEMTL, the Associação Empresarial das Mulheres de Timor-Leste, founded on 26 April 2008 by 43 Timorese women entrepreneurs with a shared vision: to build confidence, strengthen women-led businesses, and open new pathways for women to shape Timor-Leste’s economic future.

Today, AEMTL has grown into a national platform of more than 2,000 women-led enterprises, spanning all 13 municipalities of Timor-Leste and RAEOA, active across tourism, commerce, handicrafts, agriculture, catering, construction, and beyond.

Under the umbrella of AEMTL, the ARTSS Centre provides the retail platform, and the Brand Timor Initiative provides the identity through which Timor-Leste’s coconut, cocoa, vanilla, and handmade products reach local, ASEAN, and international markets.

Who We Serve

The ARTSS Centre welcomes a wide community of visitors, partners, and customers, each connected by a shared appreciation for authentic Timorese products, culture, and local stories:

International & ASEAN Tourists: authentic souvenirs and meaningful gifts that capture Timor-Leste’s identity and traditions.
Government & Conference Participants: high-quality Timorese souvenirs and gifts for official meetings, events, and international exchanges.
Embassies, Diplomats & Development Partners: authentic Timorese products for official gifts, cultural promotion, and partnership activities.
Hotels & Tourism Businesses: authentic products to share with guests and promote local culture through tourism experiences.
Local Customers: Timorese residents who want to support local products and celebrate the skills of their own entrepreneurs.
ASEAN & International Markets: buyers and partners seeking high-quality cocoa, coconut, vanilla, handicrafts, and other Timorese-made products.

Through the Brand Timor Initiative, the ARTSS Centre connects local producers, women entrepreneurs, and communities with customers and markets, bringing Timor-Leste’s authentic products and stories to the nation, ASEAN, and the world.

Our Mission

To empower women entrepreneurs, youth, artisans, and local producers in Timor-Leste by providing a platform for showcasing, developing, and marketing authentic Timorese products, while promoting arts, culture, tourism, and sustainable economic opportunities. Through product development, branding, packaging, retail opportunities, training, and market access, we help Timorese products reach national, ASEAN, and international markets.

Our Vision

To become a leading hub for Timor-Leste’s creative economy, a place where arts, culture, tourism, and entrepreneurship come together to elevate the quality of local products, preserve cultural heritage, and build sustainable opportunities for communities across the nation.

What Makes Us Different

The ARTSS Centre is more than a place to shop. It is a platform that connects visitors with the authentic stories, creativity, and resilience of Timor-Leste’s women, communities, and local producers. Unlike a traditional souvenir store, every product here carries a story: the connection between our land, our traditions, and the people who create.

At the ARTSS Centre, visitors discover authentic Timorese products made by women entrepreneurs and artisans; innovative goods that blend traditional knowledge with modern design and sustainable practice; cultural stories that connect each item to Timor-Leste’s heritage; and purpose-driven souvenirs that let every customer bring home a piece of Timor-Leste while directly supporting the women and communities behind it.

“When we invest in Timorese women, we invest in families, communities, and the future of Timor-Leste. ARTSS Centre is a place where women’s dreams, skills, and creativity grow into opportunities, sustainable businesses, and better livelihoods for themselves and their families.”

“The hands of Timorese women carry more than skills; they carry our culture, our stories, and the future of our communities.” — Hergui Luina Fernandes Alves, President of AEMTL