Et Cetera

As far as cultural events are concerned, August is generally considered to be the “dead” month of the year. But if you're stuck in Yerevan and the soul does want to escape somewhere else, even for just an hour or so, then some of those events might just prove to be the ticket.

With the Golden Apricot Film Festival behind us, many in Yerevan might have a case of a cultural overdose. But the capital's art pulse shows no sign of slowing down and the next two weeks are absolutely packed with events to either calm or rattle your jaded senses.

In this personal essay, Arthur Aghadjanians reflects on the journey that led to the creation of Carpet Jam, an online platform showcasing Armenian musicians worldwide, promoting contemporary music and providing opportunities for emerging artists.

The cultural high point of the year is definitely peaking in the next couple of weeks with the opening of the 21st Golden Apricot International Film Festival with its usual roster of must-see films and... uhum... controversial guests. Finding the gems, or maybe the guilty pleasures in this whirlwind of activities can be a challenge, so hopefully this guide can be of some help.

An op-ed calling for a collective reflection on the potential pitfalls of Armenia’s burgeoning arts and cultural festival scene falling into the trap of “artwashing” and sidelining the much needed potential of cultural festivals to facilitate community bonding and critical engagement with the past.

Yerevan's social calendar is ramping up with a torrent of events that will immerse you in all sorts of art if you, well... let it. To help you navigate the vibrant art scene, we're putting together a short bi-weekly digest of the best that the capital has on offer for the art-going public and visitors.

Why has the Armenian Government initiated a controversial takeover bid of the Writers' and Artists' Union properties and what does it mean for the wider cultural sector? Vigen Galstyan explains.

Armenian historical scholarship is attempting to shed its Soviet-Stalinist ideological framework and adopt new methodologies and theories. However, ongoing debates suggest that this transformation will be a lengthy and challenging process.

An Armenian film, “1489” won the Main Jury and the International Federation of Film Critics prizes at the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam in 2023 amid upheaval and controversy that triggered a series of withdrawals and boycotts of the festival for its perceived silence regarding Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

The juxtaposition of two cinematic adaptations of the same literary work reveals polar perceptions of history, tradition, national culture and lifestyle. And by doing so, it indicates that the boundaries of "Armenian cinema" are much wider than they seem.