The State of Armenia’s Cultural and Creative Ecosystem, 2023-2024

Description:

The State of Armenia’s Cultural and Creative Ecosystem is a research report, published by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and funded by the European Union, that examines the economic and infrastructural barriers to the cultural and creative industries of Armenia. I worked for a year in the country with AGBU’s Katapult Creative Accelerator Program to produce the report, acting as editor and co-author alongside Katapult’s team. To gain a deeper understanding of the needs of Armenian creatives, creative businesses, and cultural institutions, Katapult commissioned a survey, hosted focus group discussions, held one-on-one interviews, and analyzed economic data through ArmStat. This information was synthesized and shared in two parts: a needs assessment and an economic report. See table of contents and research team credits below.

The full report is available to read online, here.

The cost of shipping a coffee mug to the USA is ten times higher than the cost of the mug ($6 vs. $60 shipping costs). We have had 30-40 orders from the United States but we declined these orders due to such high shipping costs. Recently a buyer from Austria declined an order when he heard about such high shipping costs.

— Visual arts sector representative

The Yerevan mayor recently cut the budget for music festivals. The Jazz Fest budget of Montreux, Switzerland is EUR 30 million, that of Vienna is EUR 20 million, in Tbilisi, EUR 2 million, and that of Yerevan Jazz Fest, it is 0 AMD.

— Music sector representative

The goods that some Armenian craftsmen transport [by air] for expos are frequently confiscated by customs as they do not have corresponding documents, like temporary export/import regime papers. The customs officials require craftsmen going to expos to pay export taxes for their products while the latter are not sure that they will be able to sell those items there. This is a burden for them.

— Visual Arts/Craft sector representative

Table of contents:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

PART I: NEEDS ASSESSMENT

  • Arts Education

  • Physical/Virtual Platforms for Promoting the Arts

    • Creative unions

    • Art criticism and journalism

    • International art fairs, expos, and festivals

    • Domestic art fairs, expos, and festivals

    • Online platforms for sales

  • Support Sectors

    • Intellectual property law

    • E-commerce and E-payments

    • Shipping and exports

  • Cultural Policy

    • Government bodies

    • Non government actors

    • Public engagement in cultural policy

    • Current national strategies

PART II: ECONOMIC REPORT

  • Value added for cultural goods and services to national GDP

  • Cultural employment

  • Cultural consumption

METHODOLOGY

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX

Research team:

Project Director, Chief Editor, Co-author: Anna K. Gargarian (Lead and Creative Strategist, AGBU Katapult Creative Accelerator Program)

Editor and Co-author: Tatiana Vahan

Lead Experts: Heghine Manasyan, Mane Mkrtchyan, Arsen Aslanyan, Diana Ghazaryan, Lilit Ghabanyan, Lucineh Kalantaryan

Katapult Team: Shoghakat Mlke-Galstyan, Narek Tovamasyan, Marina Oganesova, Lin Paravyan

Photography: Ed Tadevossian and Aram Kirakosyan

Cover photo: ©Aram Kirakosyan / A dance performance at lake Sevan, 2020.