Armen Harutyunyan presenting the results of the survey

Armen Harutyunyan participated in the June 2008 Theater Management exchange, which took place in Boston, MA. Harutyunyan was specifically impressed with the presentation made by Richard Maloney, Assistant Director of the Arts Administration Program at Boston University. The presentation covered fundamental elements of teaching and managerial techniques in US academic institutions, as well as challenges faced by administrators in the arts field.

Upon his return to Armenia, Harutyunyan shared his enthusiasm with his colleagues and recruited a team of art specialists and sociologists to launch a national survey on theater management practices in Armenia. Mariam Ohanyan, a CC alumna from the Film Making program, also joined the group. The survey highlighted the differences between private and state as well as regional and capital based theaters. The findings of the survey revealed important trends in theater management and were highly appreciated by experts and the government, including the Ministry of Culture. The survey offers a number of key recommendations to theater managers and will soon be published and distributed among the theater community throughout Armenia.

“Participation in the Theater Management program not only equipped me with rich cross-cultural experience, but also expanded my knowledge and expertise in theater management. We were able to adapt some US practices despite the differences in how we run theaters in Armenia and the US”, said Harutyunyan.