To this end, the Secretariat runs five core programs: establishing support for cultural projects carried out by artists and producers in Rio; developing and running the 60 cultural spaces across the city, including museums, cultural centers, theaters, libraries and planetariums; program promotion to exploit the city's culture, including an agenda of cultural events, such as the 2016 Olympics and the celebration of Rio's 450th years of existence; formulation and implementation of cultural public policies; the development of the cultural economy by investing in production, marketing, training, events and infrastructure.

The SMC acts to consolidate Rio as one of the main cultural centers in Latin America.