Art/Culture/Architecture Archives - Armenian Volunteer Corps

“ARVESTARAN” CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Arvestaran creates a safe and enabling environment, where disadvantaged groups and the wider community will build an inclusive and aware society. The Center supports people with autism and other developmental disorders of all ages to develop and advance their living, social, and self-advocacy skills. Arvestaran also works with young adults in especially difficult circumstances. Arvestaran provides the following range of services: consultancy and creative therapy services, such as art, music, dance, and crafts, educational services, such as pre-elementary training and vocational training, capacity building for sector specialists, Advocacy Hub.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Most volunteers help develop curriculum and/or teach English to kids, teens, or youth with different disabilities and developmental disorders. In addition, volunteers help staff organize events and handle some administrative work, including writing emails to possible partners/donors.

THE MESROP MASHTOTS INSTITUTE OF ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS (MATENADARAN)

Matenadaran – the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts is a museum of ancient manuscripts and a scientific research institute. It is a major center with a unique and exceptionally rich manuscript collection, one that has become a symbol of Armenia. Matenadaran is one of the world’s richest manuscript depositories, with a collection of nearly 17,500 manuscripts covering almost all areas of ancient and medieval Armenian Culture and Science: history, geography, grammar, philosophy, law, medicine, mathematics, cosmology, chronology, alchemy, literature, art history, miniature painting, music, literature in translation, etc.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Most volunteers support the Matenadaran with content development/revisions for the website, editing and proofreading of materials, and helping with the exhibitions. Check out two blogs highlighting the work of two former volunteers. Blog 1, Blog 2

ORDER FILM PRODUCTION

Order Film Production is a comparatively young film production company established in 2019. It’s main goal is to promote film production in Armenia as well as to implement joint projects with local and international film production companies and TV companies. Their films in feature, documentary, and animation genres are made in accordance with international standards – some of which are ultimately featured in international film festivals. They also realize TV projects, which are mainly cultural and cognitive programs, through which viewers are exposed to spiritual and cultural values.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Most volunteers support Order Film with tasks related to film production, editing videos, and public relations. Depending on a volunteer’s expertise, it is entirely possible that Order Film will customize additional work. Check out this blog featuring the work of a former volunteer.

THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM & INSTITUTE (AGMI)

AGMI is a non-profit organization based in Yerevan, Republic of Armenia. The mission of the Museum-Institute is the academic and scientific study, analysis of the problems as well as exhibition of the textual and visual documentation related to the first Genocide of the 20th century. Their objectives are as follows: to promote the collection, study and presentation of the visual textual materials, including also artifacts, related to the life of the Western Armenians in the Ottoman Empire before and during the Genocide; to develop more effective cooperation and collaboration among organizations worldwide involved in the research of genocide, particularly Armenian Genocide; to create and develop and academic institution on Genocide Studies in the Republic of Armenia; to raise international awareness among the international community on the first Genocide of the 20th century defined initially as crime against humanity; to preserve and honor the Tsisternakaberd memorial complex of Genocide victims and the Tisernakaberd park.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Most volunteers support the Museum-Institute’s research, content editing, content translation, and proofreading of materials needs. AGMI also customizes tasks depending on each volunteer’s expertise. Check out these three blogs featuring volunteers who worked with the AGMI. Blog 1, Blog 2, Blog 3

BARDI ARCHITECTURAL STUDIO

BARDI is a Yerevan-based studio specializing in architecture and interior design.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Volunteers with a background and/or interest in interior design and architecture support BARDI with their ongoing projects.

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY

Founded in 1959, the Institute is mainly focused on research about Armenian archaeology, ethnography, folklore, anthropology, and ethno-sociology. The Institute also participates in archaeological excavations and collecting works of ethnography and folklore. It regularly reports on its activities in publications.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Volunteers support research efforts and archaeological excavations.

GOLDEN APRICOT YEREVAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The GOLDEN APRICOT Yerevan International Film Festival has as its goal the building of cultural bridges and fostering dialogue among different countries. It annually features films in numerous languages and from various genres. The festival implements a variety of workshops, meetings, and training sessions.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Most volunteers help with the logistics, preparation, and administrative work leading up to the Festival. In addition, volunteers work on translating content into English and support event organization during the festival. Check out this blog featuring the work of a former volunteer.

BARS MEDIA DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCTION STUDIO

With the understanding that the power of film is often greater than the power of words, Bars Media has become an outlet for honest, responsible, and trustworthy voices to express themselves, to inspire dialogue, to create socially conscious films, and to encourage constructive social change.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Volunteers in an interest in documentary films support Bars Media with English content development, supporting media and marketing efforts, and working directly on ongoing projects. Check out this blog featuring the work of a former volunteer.

BALLET 2021 DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

The Ballet 2021 Development Foundation was created in order to celebrate Armenian ballet and develop it further. The foundation’s activities The include: collaboration with world-class choreographers, repetiteurs, and dancers; co-productions in Armenia and abroad; and the establishment of innovative programming to raise public awareness of and interest in ballet.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Fans of the ballet help with tasks related to art management, conduct research and administrative work, and support grant writing/fundraising efforts.

AKNA CULTURAL SOCIETY NGO/ THE GURDJIEFF ENSEMBLE

The Akna Cultural Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the research, organization, and international promotion of Armenian music. It aims to share Armenia’s musical heritage through concerts, workshops, master classes, discussions, collaboration with festivals and other groups, preparation of short documentary films and websites, and partnering with the media. The organization has several projects, with one of its most successful being the Gurdjieff Ensemble, harmoniously combining Armenian folk instruments.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Volunteers support video editing and script editing and also have the opportunity to work on short documentary film production.

THE MUSEUM OF RUSSIAN ART

The Museum of Russian Art in Yerevan is the only museum in Armenia presenting the works of Russian artists from the period of Russian culture known as the Silver Age. Philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev called this era the Russian “cultural Renaissance.” The museum was established on the basis of the personal collection of Doctor and Professor Aram Abramyan in 1980. As one of the seminal art museums in Yerevan, volunteers often find themselves managing the sales of souvenirs, assisting the PR of the museum, content curating the museum’s web-page and helping assist with museum events.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Volunteers typically manage the sales of souvenirs, assist with the PR efforts, develop content for the website, and assist in organizing events.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ARMENIA

National Gallery of Armenia: The National Gallery of Armenia is the major fine art museum in Armenia and is the largest Museum in the world containing Armenian fine art. The Gallery includes more than 40,000 highly valuable works of Armenian and foreign art. The mission of the museum is collecting of art works and conservation promotion.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: Interested volunteers work within the museum’s public relations efforts and get involved with the educational projects for children by organizing interactive excursions for children at the Gallery. In addition, volunteers help with the logistics of the museum shop, support fundraising and marketing efforts, hold conversational English classes with staff, conduct tours, translate texts, and more. Check out this blog about a volunteer who worked at the National Gallery.

HISTORY MUSEUM OF ARMENIA

History Museum of Armenia: The mission of the History Museum of Armenia is to preserve, replenish, study and publicize the history and culture of Armenia and the Armenian people. With about four hundred thousand archaeological, ethnographic, numismatic and other collections, the museum tries to bridge the past and the future. Volunteers will be tasked with various jobs associated with the different departments of the museum, helping the museum’s staff with the ongoing works including, restoration, curation, digitization of the archives and giving tours.

Typical Volunteer Tasks: At the History Museum, volunteers typically translate texts, work on improving the website, support with marketing/PR efforts, and help organize events, excursions, and tours at the museum.