Activity of the department of culture and tourism

There are 70 municipal cultural establishments in Yerevan. Among them are 3 theatres: Drama Theater after Hrachya Ghaplanyan, Young Spectator’s Theater and the Artistic Theater “Mher Mkrtchyan”; 19 libraries, 5 museums: Yerevan History Museum, Karen Demirchyan Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Historical and Archaeological Reserve-Museum Erebuni and Fridjof Nansen Museum. There are also 26 municipal music and art schools, the students of which take part in republican and international contests, festivals and achieve significant results.
The department also coordinates the activity of the Children’s Philharmonic after Yu. Bakhshyan., Children’s Philharmonic “Little Singers of Armenia”, the brass band “Yerevan”, the city centre of children’s and youth’s creativity, the cultural centre “Hay-Art”.
 Besides libraries, music and art schools there are also centres for cultural and educational upbringing functioning in Yerevan Municipality subordination. Every year the mentioned-above organizations participate in the events organized within the frames of citywide, republican and international projects.
 The Department of Culture and Tourism carries out citywide programs aimed at the development of culture and tourism as well as mass events attached to national and state holidays and festivals.

Programs carried out in 2023

• An event dedicated to Book Presenting Day was held in Charles Aznavour square. It included concerts, panel discussions, book fairs.
•  On the event of Women’s Day 22000 tickets for cultural events were purchased from 11 establishments engaged in theatric and concert activity and presented to women involved in various spheres of the city economy. 
• On the event of the International Jazz Day a big concert of eminent Armenian and foreign jazz performers was organized in Gafesjian square of sculptures.
• Various entertaining events were organized in Azaturyan square on Children’s Day.
• On the event of the 120-th anniversary of Aram Khachatryan the program of open-air shows of ballet compositions by the greatest composers was organized in the park after Tumanyan. Approximately 15000 spectators had the chance to enjoy “Gayane”, “Spartak” and “Masquerade” ballets.
• The great project entitled “Open-air Opera” was held in Tumanyan park. The project involved open air performances of “Anush” and “La traviata” operas by the creative staff of the National Academic Theatre of opera and Ballet after A. Spendiaryan. The “Opera Gala”, in which Armenian and foreign opera stars took part, was organized as well, and about 20000 spectators enjoyed the event.
• On New Year and Christmas holidays nearly 5000 tickets were purchased from 4 theatric and concert establishments to be given to beneficiaries via “Active Citizen” platform.
• Within the frames of the preliminary specialized education and extracurricular aesthetic upbringing programs approximately 9000 children got the possibility to study at the municipal music, art and fine arts schools. The 14th contest-festival of music and art schools of Yerevan was organized. Another event was the festival of the young composers after Aram Khachatryan. The youth symphonic orchestra called “Yerevan” was formed, and its first performance is scheduled for February 2024. The project “Art Figure to Schools” was launched: the RA Honoured Artist, world-famous pianist Hayk Melikyan delivered master classes in 24 municipal music and art schools, and those young pianists who stood out with their talent and skills, got the chance to perform on one stage with Hayk Melikyan at the final gala concert of the year.

Many students of the schools successfully participated in various republican and international contests and exhibitions and achieved high results and prizes. Tuition fees were covered in music and art schools for those students who study playing the national musical instruments (string, brass, etc). This project is designated to preserve and popularize the Armenian national musical instruments and traditions.

• Various events were organized in 19 municipal libraries of Yerevan to attract new readers and to contribute to cultural, educational and aesthetic upbringing policy. In 2023, the public libraries of Yerevan were enriched with 12632 books of 482 names.
• To develop different fields of art and culture Yerevan Municipality fulfilled a number of grant projects, supported cultural projects and festivals that had just started their activity in the sphere. In particular, the “Theatric Yerevan” grant project was implemented during which 9 theatric initiatives were allotted approximately 50 million AMD. Within the frames of “Aram Khachatryan-120” events the grant competition for creative initiatives was held, and about 40 million AMD was allotted for the implementation of 9 selected projects.

The “Yerevan for Women” grant program was fulfilled to encourage women engaged in different art fields. 13 applicants were recognized winners in the nominations of “Art education”, “Sculpture”. “Music Art”, “Drama Art”. 26 million AMD was disbursed for the program.
The first stage of the grant programs for short movies and translations. Besides, the municipality sponsored such events as the International Print Biennale, the international festival “Yerevan Perspectives”, the “Golden Apricot”, “Reanimania” and Short movies international festivals; the program dedicated to the 40th anniversary of foundation of Karen Demirchyan Sport and Concert Complex and other projects and events.