Arts and Culture Programs Preserving Artsakh Identity After Displacement

Arts and culture play a critical role in preserving identity, memory, and resilience for Armenian families forcibly displaced from Artsakh. After losing their homes and communities, creative expression and cultural continuity help displaced families maintain a sense of belonging while rebuilding their lives in Armenia. Lorik Humanitarian Fund supports arts and culture initiatives that ensure Artsakh’s heritage continues to be shared, practiced, and passed on.

These cultural programs exist alongside Lorik Humanitarian Fund’s efforts to provide permanent housing for displaced Artsakh families, recognizing that true recovery requires not only safe homes, but also the preservation of history, identity, and cultural expression.

We are ending the third month of our commitment to sponsor the "Tsill Puppet Studio" in Gyumri. I was really impressed by their activities when I visited the Studio two weeks ago. They had so many students but not enough chairs and tables to accommodate their growing classes. We have since sent some funds for them to expand and cater to more children. The studio offers free classes to all covering a large span of topics. They teach Puppetry, puppet making, ceramics, Armenian needlework (Մարաշ/Marash), photography, and more. We had a 3 month commitment to fund the activities of the studio, I would like to keep that project going. The instructors work on a volunteer basis, our only cost is rent and utilities which come out to about $500/ month. Below I have included text (google translated) and photos from the studios post made today on Facebook.

"Today was an unusual bustle in our studio.

We had an outdoor portrait photography class, full of creative spirit and new discoveries.

Our students rediscovered each other through the eyes of photographers, studying light and shadow, facial expressions and the sincerity of the moment.

The outdoor environment became a source of inspiration, helping students understand how nature and man can harmoniously intertwine in one frame.

Such classes not only develop skills, but also form a subtle vision and feeling for art.

At the moment, 50 children are included in our various groups, who are educated with Artsakh love and spirit. Our studio operates on a charitable basis, and all our courses are completely free."

You can support Artsakh arts and culture programs and help displaced Armenian families preserve their identity while rebuilding their lives by contributing to Lorik Humanitarian Fund.