13th Fresco International Festival to showcase art, film and culture in Armenia

The 13th Fresco International Inclusive Festival of Modern Art and Spiritual Films will take place in Spitak and Yerevan from August 21 to 28, with the support of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.

Organized by the Children’s Special Creative Center, the festival has become one of the most anticipated events on Armenia’s cultural calendar. It brings together theater, film, music, photography and creative educational programs, creating a platform for cultural dialogue and new ideas.

The festival will officially open on August 21 at Spitak City Park with “Tiruhiner” (“Queens”), a theatrical dance performance by Vanadzor’s Horovel State Song and Dance Ensemble. The performance was created and directed by Arayik Gevorgyan, while the ensemble is headed by director and artistic director Armen Nersisyan.

“Tiruhiner” portrays five prominent queens from Armenian history — Zaruhi, Satenik, Parandzem, Khosrovanuysh and Keran — highlighting their strength, wisdom and sacrifice, as well as their role in preserving Armenian statehood and national identity. The production combines historical, musical and dance elements to offer a contemporary interpretation of Armenia’s cultural heritage.

According to festival artistic director Anna Karapetyan, Fresco has for 13 years provided a unique meeting place where art addresses universal values, memory, identity and equality. She said this year’s multidisciplinary program is designed to appeal to audiences of different ages and interests while bringing artists and audiences together for dialogue, discovery and cultural cooperation.

Festival organizers said opening the event with “Tiruhiner” was a symbolic choice, emphasizing the strength, dignity and wisdom of Armenian women and their contribution to the development and preservation of national identity, statehood and culture.

The eight-day program will feature concerts, international film screenings and discussions, masterclasses, theatrical performances and creative meetings, offering audiences an opportunity to explore a wide range of contemporary artistic practices.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival will be “A Unique Concert in Total Darkness.” For the first time in Armenia, audiences will be invited to completely give up their sense of sight and experience music through their other senses. Organizers describe the project as a sensory experience that seeks to rethink the boundaries of how music is perceived.

The festival will also host an experience-sharing session with Anna Skočdopolová, a representative of the Czech Republic’s One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival. She will speak on “Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Inclusion: Ethics, Cinema and Cultural Festivals,” focusing on the use of emerging technologies and ethical standards in the cultural sector.

On August 23 in Spitak and August 24 in Yerevan, the festival will host a masterclass by Israeli photographer D. Brikman, as well as a meeting with audiences based on the popular program “Children’s Non-Childish Questions.” The events will bring together photography enthusiasts for professional exchange and skills development. Georgian photographer Yuri Mechitov will also hold a masterclass in Yerevan on August 24.

Spitak will also host a concert program featuring the popular Ethno Colors band.

The festival will screen 30 films from 12 countries, featuring works that address important social issues, humanitarian values and inclusion.

The Fresco International Festival will conclude on August 28 in Vanadzor with “The Dancer,” a performance by the Gyumri Youth Theatre.