13th Fresco International Festival opens in Spitak

The 13th Fresco International Inclusive Festival of Modern Art and Spiritual Films officially opened on August 21 in the newly renovated Spitak City Park.

The festival, organized by the Children’s Special Creative Center SNCO with the support of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, will bring together artists, cultural figures and audiences from August 21-28 on one platform featuring cinema, theater, music, photography and creative educational programs.

Spitak mayor Kajayr Nikoghosyan also attended the opening ceremony and welcomed the festival’s organization in the community, emphasizing its importance in revitalizing Spitak’s cultural life and promoting new cultural initiatives.

“It is important and joyful for us that the Fresco International Festival is starting in Spitak this year. It is also noteworthy that Spitak’s newly renovated City Park is hosting such a cultural event for the first time. I am confident that such initiatives bring new life to the community’s cultural life, create new opportunities for meetings and cooperation, and make Spitak one of the important platforms for cultural life,” said Nikoghosyan.

Festival artistic director Anna Karapetyan, highlighting the importance of holding the festival in Spitak, said cooperation with the community is of particular significance for the initiative.

“It is truly a great happiness to see the festival in Spitak. I will be honest and say that we have wanted the festival to be held in Spitak many times. We also have creative clubs here, and our students from Vanadzor and Stepanavan are also here and have the opportunity to enjoy the festival. Therefore, we are grateful to Mr. Nikoghosyan for providing this opportunity. I especially want to emphasize that we had the opportunity to get to know Spitak more deeply, and we are more than confident that the cooperation will continue,” Karapetyan said.

Israeli photographer Dmitry Brickman also spoke during the opening ceremony, highlighting one of the festival’s main messages — kindness.

“There is a lot that can be said about today, but I especially want to emphasize that Fresco is about kindness. And it is doubly responsible and pleasant to stand on stage and tell all of you: let us launch the festival of kindness,” Brickman said.

The main event of the festival’s opening ceremony was “Tiruhiner” (“Queens”), a theatrical dance performance by Vanadzor’s Horovel State Song and Dance Ensemble. The performance was dedicated to five prominent queens from Armenian history, combining historical, musical and dance elements.

The 13th Fresco International Festival features a multidisciplinary program, including international film screenings and discussions, concerts, theatrical performances, photography masterclasses and creative meetings. A total of 30 films from 12 countries will be screened as part of the festival, while one of the key events of the program is the Concert in Total Darkness project.

The festival will continue its program in Yerevan and Vanadzor after Spitak, bringing together representatives of different communities and generations around art, kindness, inclusion and universal values until August 28.