Civilnet
By Angela Hassassian
In the face of challenges and adversity, Sunrise Stepanakert, the first multimedia art festival in Artsakh, continues to shine a light on the power of art, connection, and resilience.
The festival will launch this Friday with a grand opening at the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art (NPAK) in Yerevan, and continue through July 9, featuring programs both in Armenia and in Artsakh.
The opening evening will unveil the exhibition titled "Edges," and will be showcased simultaneously in Yerevan and Stepanakert. The opening of the Yerevan event will feature a contemporary dance performance titled "Hope," brought to life by the MIHR Theater and Tiezerk Band. Meanwhile, in the Stepanakert Gallery, the audience will kick off the event with live music by Mira and David.
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Traditionally, Sunrise Stepanakert did take place in Stepanakert, but Azerbaijan's blockade of the region has forced the organizers to come up with innovative solutions to unpredictable challenges in the region.
As a result, the program will span different cities in Armenia in addition to Stepanakert.
“Sunrise Stepanakert is a labor of love that has cultivated a vibrant community of artists, creators, and innovators that are devoted to Artsakh,” Shoushan Keshishian, one of the festival organizers, told CivilNet.
“When everything around us is unstable and disturbing, our unconditional devotion to our mission gives me strength and hope,” said another co-founder, Lilit Hakobyan.
Keshishian, originally from Lebanon, and Hakobyan, who is from Russia, founded the festival in 2021, following the Second Artsakh War. Both women came to Armenia through the IGorts program of the Office of High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, then decided to stay permanently.
The festival includes masterclasses and film screenings, and will also feature a pop-up shop at NPAK, open 12:00 - 9:00 PM for the duration of the festival, full of curated selection of products made by independent Armenian artists, designers, and creators.
Portions of the event will be held in Yerevan, Gyumri, and Mayakovski Village as well as in Stepanakert, ensuring that the festival's spirit reaches a wider audience while maintaining its connection to Artsakh.
“We believe that art is a way of survival. We create, we heal, and we thrive through art. This year, art is also a way to unite us, even in the face of blocked roads and artificial separations,” said Keshishian.
While the blockade of the Lachin corridor restricts the physical movement of people between Artsakh and Armenia, as well as Artsakh and the rest of the world, Sunrise Stepanakert’s mission is to transcend physical borders through art, music, and culture.
The festival is generously supported by the Hovnanian Family Foundation. All profit generated through the festival will be used to finance an arts and culture educational program in Artsakh.
More information about the Sunrise Stepanakert festival is available here: http://sunrisestepanakert.com.
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