Minister of Culture reports on 2017 activities and 2018 priority programs

During a working meeting held with the President of the Republic of Armenia, Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan reported the process of fulfillment of the assignments given by the President at the previous meeting and the priority programs to be implemented in 2018.

The Minister focused on a number of priority spheres: improvement of legislation in the field of culture; training and retraining of specialists; cinematography; preservation of immovable historical and cultural monuments; reformation of Ministry-affiliated libraries and museums, and their improvement by means of innovation technologies; activation of cultural life in the provinces, as well as popularization of Armenian culture in foreign countries.

Armen Amiryan advised that the idea of setting up a pan-Armenian orchestra as discussed at his previous working meeting with the President had been successfully implemented. After being established earlier this year, the Orchestra came up with its first concert in Yerevan on April 24 with participation of 71 Armenian musicians from 20 countries. This year the orchestra will perform in Shoushi on May 9, and in Yerevan - on May 14. The Minister further advised that a pan-Armenian choir is being set up, the first appearance of which is scheduled for this April 24 in Yerevan.

With a view to promoting Armenian culture abroad, tours, exhibitions were organized in several countries, including China, Iran, India, Russia, USA and others in 2017. Armenian delegations participated in authoritative international exhibitions of books, movies, contemporary art in Frankfurt, Cannes and Venice. Within the framework of the Armenian Culture Days in Russia, 250 professional artists from Armenia performed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia. Several exhibitions were held, including Martiros Saryan’s exposition in Tretyakov Gallery.

Among the upcoming programs, the Minister singled out the UAE tour of the Spendiaryan National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, which is scheduled for August 30-September 17, 2018.

In line with another presidential assignment, efforts have been made to intensify cultural life in the provinces, which have already hosted a number of programs. In particular, 36 tours of State-supported theatrical and musical companies and 454 outgoing exhibitions were held in 111 communities of Armenia, including border villages, as well as in Artsakh as part of the Cultural Stop program. 200 film screenings were held under the Mobile Cinema program. The Arar program was launched in mid-2017, under which Marz residents without any age restrictions are taught handicrafts, skills in the field of folklore. The program is also supposed to provide teaching skills. The Armenian Dance Festival will be held this summer with the primary goal of supporting dance groups in remote and border communities.

The Minister of Culture reported the launch of Amberd Fortress Restoration and Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project. According to him, a competition has already been announced, the results are summed up, and preparatory work is underway: the Project is expected to kick off this April. The surrounding area of Garni Reserve-Museum has been improved, with a zone of infrastructure established.

According to the Minister of Culture, a site has been assigned for the Yerevan Pantomime Theater at Gevorg Kochar-27 in Yerevan; a construction project is out for public review. A tender will soon be announced, and the construction will start in May, 2018. The Theater will have been inaugurated by next May.

Armen Amiryan assured that the President’s instruction to establish a regional center for rehabilitation of archeological assets is in the final stage of completion. The Center will soon be opened in the building of the Ministry of Culture.

During the meeting, the President was also informed about the rehabilitation of State-run theaters or construction of new facilities, including the new buildings of the Yerevan Chamber Theater, Hamazgayin Theater. Renovations are underway at Goris and Vanadzor theaters. The building of the Stepanakert State Theater will be reconstructed through the proceeds of concert and theatrical performance ticket sales. “Artsakh, my love: support for Stepanakert” theatrical project has already kicked off.

The Minister gave details of the introduction of a unified electronic ticket system. According to Armen Amiryan, the Consortium of Consolidated Electronic Ticketing System LLC and InfoTech LLC won the tender announced to that effect. A relevant contract to be signed with the Consortium is under discussion at this point of time.

Armen Amiryan also reported on the Ministry of Culture-drafted amendments to the laws On Protection and Use of Immovable Historical and Cultural Monuments and Historical Environment and On Cinematography, which was developed in a bid to introduce a modern model of cinematography management in Armenia.

Elaborating on the forthcoming programs, the Minister advised that the digitization of libraries, cinematographic heritage and musical compositions should be completed by 2021. A digital database representing Armenia’s creative potential will be set up by December 2021.