A Rare Collection Featuring Works by Samvel Sevada & Artashes Hunanian
Daughter of the Crying Man | Screening & Q&A
Join us for a screening of “DAUGHTER OF THE CRYING MAN,” a stunning documentary + visual podcast from the producers of Country of Dust podcast.
A VHS tape in a Toronto basement sends Nyree Abrahamian (@nyree_abrahamian) and her family on a journey to find their long-lost relatives, in the last Armenian village still surviving in Turkey.
Country of Dust (@countryofdust) is an award-winning narrative podcast about Armenia today – telling vibrant, sound-rich and deeply personal stories about a country in flux, and the people living through it all.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Nyree and producer/sound designer Jeremy Dalmas (@jeremydalmas), moderated by Dr. Shushan Karapetian (@drkarapetian), Director of the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies (@uscarmenianstudies).
Biographies:
Nyree Abrahamian is a Canadian-Armenian poet and creative producer. She is creator and producer of Country of Dust, an award-winning narrative podcast, and co-founded the Tumanyan International Storytelling Festival. Her poems are published in Mizna, Poetry Northwest and Protean Magazine, among others. She lives in Yerevan.
Jeremy Dalmas is an audio producer who spent five years reporting with NPR-affiliate KALW in San Francisco and has worked with The Guardian, CBS, Wired, Vox and many other outlets. Jeremy is based in Oakland, CA and Yerevan, Armenia.
Shushan Karapetian, Ph.D. is Director of the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, a leading center focused on the contemporary Armenian diaspora and the Republic of Armenia. Her recent projects explore Armenian identity in Los Angeles through vernacular practices such as personalized license plates, the role of heritage language in wartime diasporic mobilization, and the interrelationship of language, gender, and socialization. She is also the creator and host of Language Therapy with Dr. K.
Vigen Hovsepyan: The Armenian Troubadour
Experience an unforgettable evening of Armenian folk music as Vigen Hovsepyan takes the stage in a special concert celebrating the rich traditions of Armenian song and storytelling.
Known for his expressive vocals and deep connection to Armenian musical heritage, Vigen Hovsepyan brings together beloved folk melodies, poetic interpretations, and contemporary arrangements that resonate with audiences of all generations. Accompanied by a talented ensemble of musicians, this performance promises an evening filled with warmth, artistry, and cultural pride.
Featuring:
- Norayr Gapoyan – Duduk
- Stepan Ter-Ghevondyan – Percussion, Daf
- Gevorg Ghazaryan – Guitar
Together, these accomplished musicians create a rich and immersive soundscape that honors Armenia’s musical traditions while bringing fresh energy to timeless songs.
Whether you grew up with these melodies or are discovering them for the first time, Vigen Hovsepyan: The Armenian Troubadour offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty, emotion, and storytelling power of Armenian music in an intimate concert setting.
Don’t miss this special evening of music, culture, and connection. Gather your family and friends and join us for a memorable celebration of Armenian song.
The Stranger with the Red Beret by Khoren Aramouni
Join us for an engaging evening of literature, conversation, and reflection with acclaimed Armenian writer, playwright, and translator Khoren Aramouni.
Presented in collaboration with Abril Bookstore, this special event celebrates Aramouni’s newly released Armenian-language novel, The Stranger with the Red Beret. The novel intertwines a compelling love story with significant historical and political events, offering readers a thoughtful exploration of Armenian life across recent decades while addressing timeless psychological and human questions.
The evening will feature a conversation with the author, insights into the inspiration behind the novel, and a discussion of the themes that shape his work.
Joining the discussion will be:
- Lilit Khachatryan – Linguist and writer
- Ashot Adamyan – Actor and director
Khoren Aramouni is the author of 18 published books, a member of the Writers’ Union of Armenia, recipient of the William Saroyan Medal, and a respected literary voice whose works have been published and staged in Armenia and throughout the diaspora.
Whether you are a devoted reader of Armenian literature or simply curious to discover a new voice, this event offers a unique opportunity to meet the author, ask questions, and explore the world behind the pages.
Event Details
Thursday, June 25, 2026
7:00 PM
The Center for Armenian Arts
250 N. Orange Street
Glendale, CA 91203
Free Admission
Հանդիպում հեղինակ Խորեն Արամունու հետ
Սիրով հրավիրում ենք գրասերներին մասնակցելու գրական հետաքրքիր հանդիպման և զրույցի՝ արձակագիր, դրամատուրգ և թարգմանիչ Խորեն Արամունու հետ։
Միջոցառումը նվիրված է հեղինակի նոր հրատարակված «Կարմիր բերետով օտարականը»վեպին։ Սիրավեպի ժանրում գրված այս ստեղծագործության սյուժետային զարգացումները տեղի են ունենում պատմական և քաղաքական կարևոր իրադարձությունների հենքի վրա՝ ընթերցողին հնարավորություն տալով վերարժևորելու նախորդ տասնամյակների հայաստանյան կյանքը և անդրադառնալու հոգեբանական այն խնդիրներին, որոնք այսօր էլ շարունակում են արդիական մնալ։
Երեկոյի ընթացքում հեղինակն անդրադարձ կկատարի գրքի ստեղծման պատմությանը, իր գրական ուղուն և վեպի առանցքային գաղափարներին։ Մասնակիցները հնարավորություն կունենան հարցեր ուղղելու հեղինակին և մասնակցելու բաց քննարկման։
Մասնակցությամբ՝
- Լիլիթ Խաչատրյան (լեզվաբան, գրող)
- Աշոտ Ադամյան (բեմադրիչ, դերասան)
Խորեն Արամունին 18 գրքերի հեղինակ է, Հայաստանի Գրողների միության անդամ, «Վիլյամ Սարոյան» մեդալի դափնեկիր և ժամանակակից հայ գրականության ճանաչված ներկայացուցիչներից մեկը։ Նրա ստեղծագործությունները տպագրվել և բեմադրվել են Հայաստանում և սփյուռքում։
Սիրով սպասում ենք ձեզ գրականության, մտքերի և հետաքրքիր զրույցների այս յուրահատուկ երեկոյին։
Միջոցառման տվյալներ
Հինգշաբթի, հունիսի 25, 2026
Երեկոյան ժամը 7:00-ին
The Center for Armenian Arts
250 N. Orange Street
Glendale, CA 91203
Մուտքն ազատ է։
My Stolen Theatre | Exhibition by Nare Haykazyan
The Center for Armenian Arts presents My Stolen Theatre, an exhibition by Nare Haykazyan, where visual art and theatrical imagination intersect.
This body of work unfolds like a stage — layered, expressive, and filled with symbolic characters and fragmented narratives. Figures emerge and dissolve, masks reveal and conceal, and each composition feels like a scene captured mid-performance. The works invite viewers into a world where identity, memory, and imagination continuously shift.
Through bold color, textured forms, and emotionally charged imagery, the artist creates a visual language that echoes the experience of theatre — intimate, dramatic, and open to interpretation.
My Stolen Theatre explores the idea of performance beyond the stage, suggesting that life itself carries elements of storytelling, disguise, and transformation.
We invite you to experience this immersive and thought-provoking exhibition.
Opening night: Friday, June 12, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Exhibition continues: Saturday, June 13, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Documentary Presentation: House Culture with Christopher Atamian
The Center for Armenian Arts invites you to a special documentary presentation featuring selections from the new CivilNet series “House Culture”, hosted by Christopher Atamian.
This series explores Armenia’s historic house museums, offering an intimate look into the lives, environments, and creative legacies of influential cultural figures. Through storytelling, visual exploration, and thoughtful commentary, House Culture reveals how personal spaces preserve memory, identity, and artistic heritage.
Blending documentary filmmaking with cultural reflection, the presentation provides a unique perspective on how history lives within architecture, objects, and lived spaces — connecting past and present in meaningful ways.
Guests will have the opportunity to experience the series and engage with its themes in a shared cultural setting.
Date & Time: Thursday, June 11, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Colorful Life | Exhibition by Sarkis Alvandi
The Center for Armenian Arts is pleased to present Colorful Life, an exhibition by Sarkis Alvandi, exploring expression, movement, and emotion through vibrant color and dynamic composition.
In this body of work, color becomes the primary language — bold, layered, and alive with energy. Through abstract figures, fluid lines, and playful yet expressive forms, the artist creates compositions that capture moments of imagination, emotion, and lived experience.
Colorful Life reflects a visual celebration of movement and individuality, where each piece carries its own rhythm and character. The works invite viewers to engage freely, interpret intuitively, and experience art through feeling rather than definition.
This exhibition offers a lively and immersive encounter with color, form, and artistic spontaneity.
We warmly invite you to join us for two days of art and creative expression.
Opening night: Friday, May 29, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Exhibition continues: Saturday, May 30, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Historical Presentation by Allen Dishigirikian | The Forgotten History of James Normart: The First Armenian in Glendale (1896)
The Center for Armenian Arts invites the community to a special historical presentation by Allen Dishigirikian, exploring the remarkable and little-known story of James Normart, recognized as the first Armenian to settle in Glendale in 1896.
Titled “The Forgotten History of James Normart: The First Armenian in Glendale (1896)”, the presentation sheds light on an important early chapter of Armenian presence in Glendale and introduces the broader story of the Normart (Yanikian) family, whose history became part of the city’s earliest multicultural development.
Through archival research, family history, and historical context, the program offers insight into the lives of the Normart brothers and the foundations of Armenian community life in Glendale long before the city became one of the largest Armenian centers in the diaspora.
This evening is an opportunity to rediscover an overlooked chapter of local Armenian-American history and engage with the roots of a community whose presence continues to shape Glendale today.
Free Admission
Date & Time: Sunday, June 14, 2026 | 5:00 PM
French-Armenian Painters: Carzou and Jean Jansem
The Center for Armenian Arts presents French-Armenian Painters, a special exhibition dedicated to two major figures of twentieth-century art: Carzou (1907–2000) and Jean Jansem (1920–2013).
Presented by Apple Art, the exhibition brings together works by two artists whose visual languages became deeply influential within both Armenian and European art history. Though distinct in style, both painters developed highly recognizable artistic worlds shaped by memory, human presence, poetic tension, and refined emotional atmosphere.
Carzou’s work is known for its intricate linear structures, symbolic spaces, and visionary compositions, while Jansem’s paintings reveal delicate psychological depth, expressive portraiture, and a quiet intensity that became central to his artistic identity.
This exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to encounter two important artistic legacies side by side and explore how Armenian cultural sensibility found powerful expression within the French artistic landscape.
Exhibition Dates:
Opening night: Friday, May 15, 2026 | 7 PM – 10 PM
Exhibition continues: Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 2 PM – 9 PM
Exhibition continues: Sunday, May 17, 2026 | 12 Noon – 6 PM
Book Presentation with Joze Piranian — Stop Holding Back
The Center for Armenian Arts invites the community to an inspiring evening with Joze Piranian, author of Stop Holding Back: An Honest Guide to Turning Fear into Action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 7:00 PM.
This special event will explore the ideas behind the book, which offers a thoughtful and practical reflection on overcoming fear, self-doubt, and hesitation in order to move toward meaningful action and personal growth.
Drawing from personal experience and honest storytelling, Joze Piranian addresses the challenges that often prevent people from expressing themselves fully and taking important steps forward. His work encourages readers to rethink limitations and approach fear with courage, humor, and clarity.
The evening will include a presentation by the author, discussion with attendees, and an opportunity to engage directly with the ideas presented in the book.
Guests interested in personal development, literature, and meaningful conversation are warmly invited to attend.
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 | 7:00 PM
