
Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory
Art Commune artist in residence program is an initiative of rt and Cultural Studies Laboratory (ACSL) which is a model for similar institutions internationally and spreads its multilateral activities in Armenia and abroad. This program operates all year round (12 months) and can be considered as one of the main hub of ACSL’s activity. The program is a major artist residency and project workshop in Armenia to promote and analyze contemporary art practices. They aim to create an intellectual space, where the residents get the chance to encouter different cultures. They stimulate artists from all artistic disciplines to live, work and collaborate on an agreed project during their preferred time of residency in Yerevan and in the country as well. The resident artists will also get the chance to cognize and research the visiting country – Armenia with its rich historical heritage and contemporary situation as a Post-Soviet country with its contextual, ideological issues.
Different kinds of public events (talks, screening, presentations, meetings, discussions, etc.), workshops, seminars, exhibitions have been arranged and organized for the resident artists in various settings: public spaces, artistic and non-artistic venues in Yerevan and in the village Garni, as well as in the higher school of arts where the art commune is located.
Residency in Yerevan
The cluster of the art commune is located at the Higher School of Arts in Yerevan, which has a capacity of hosting 4-8 artists at the same time. Each artist has a separate living room, shared kitchen, and a big studio space (150 sq. m.). Separate studios and specialized workshops (wood, sculpture, dancing hall, musical studio) are also available. The whole territory is surrounded with gardens and pure land. The latter is convenient for land art and other outdoor artistic needs. Three meals per day at the dining room of the Higher School of Arts are available for residents at a very low fee.
Residency in the Village of Garni
An additional option for residents stay is located in the private artistic villa in the Garni village in Armenia. It takes around 30 min by bus to reach the village from Yerevan. The residency in Garni is a 3-storey artistic villa with 150 sq m on each floor. The large lobbies of each floor give the artists opportunity to use the space as studios or showing rooms. An exhibition hall of 100 sq. m. is available with a separate entrance as well. The residency has the capacity of hosting up to 6 artists at the same time. Each of the artists will have a separate living room, a shared bathroom and kitchen. Three meals per day are available for artists upon mutual agreement with owners of the artistic villa for mere payment. The villa is surrounded with gardens, where artists can work.
Art COmmuen artist in residence program has agreement with different spaces to develop the artist-in-residence program in Yerevan and in the village of Garni (32 km from Yerevan).
Applicants can apply for one of those spaces or combine them during their residency program; they can also make final decision upon the arrival in Yerevan and observation of the venues.