Theatre Workers Union of Armenia

The Theatre Workers Union of Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստանի թատերական գործիչների միություն, ՀԹԳՄ) is a creative public organization based in Yerevan, Armenia. It was founded on 19 January 1987, building on the Armenian Theatre Society (Հայկական թատերական ընկերություն, ՀԹԸ), which had been organized in 1940 in Yerevan on the initiative of Gurgen Janibekyan. The union brings together theatre professionals from across Armenia and maintains branches in Gyumri (since 1964), Vanadzor (since 1969), Kapan (since 1987), and Stepanakert (since 1994). As of 1999 it had 1,250 members and comprised 32 primary organizations of republican theatres and other creative unions. The union continues the work of the Armenian Theatre Society through reorganized sections — editorial-publishing, creative, cinema hall, foreign relations, and others — as well as councils operating on a public basis. It runs a Creative House, an Actors' House, and a theatre souvenir factory. It publishes the summary programme "Theatrical Yerevan" (since 1953). Affiliated entities have included the "Friendship" theatre (1966–1990), a theatre-laboratory (artistic director A. Mazmanyan, 1988–1991), the magazine "Bem" (3 issues in 1990), and the newspaper "Husharar" (4 issues in 1991). The union's highest governing body is the congress, held every five years. Its chairmen have included Gurgen Janibekyan (1940–1949), Tigran Shamirkhanyan (1949–1952), Vavik Vardanyan (1952–1955, 1959–1965), Vagharsh Vagharshyan (1955–1959), Hrachya Kaplanyan (1965–1988, and from 1987 of the ՀԹԳՄ), Khoren Abrahamyan (1989–1996), Yervand Ghazanchyan (1995–2007), and Hakob Ghazanchyan (since 2007). The union is best known publicly for the annual Artavazd awards, which recognize achievements in Armenian theatre. Its official website, theatersunion.am, provides news, history, photographs, and a repertoire section, and lists the winners of the "Artavazd-2026" awards ceremony. The site is bilingual in Armenian and English and carries a 2017 copyright notice. The union remains an active cultural institution in Armenia, promoting theatre arts, organizing festivals, creative evenings, scientific sessions, and conferences, and supporting popular and amateur theatre collectives.

The Theatre Workers Union of Armenia traces its origins to the Armenian Theatre Society (Հայկական թատերական ընկերություն, ՀԹԸ), which was organized in 1940 in Yerevan on the initiative of Gurgen Janibekyan. The society, through its sections (theatrical, children's, folk theatres, creative, and others), promoted the development of Armenian theatre art, raised the ideological and artistic level of theatre workers, studied and generalized the experience of theatres, assisted folk theatres and amateur theatrical collectives, and organized lectures, reports, competitions, festivals, creative evenings, scientific sessions, and conferences across the republic. Its highest governing body was the congress, held every five years. The society maintained close ties with theatre societies of other republics. In 1967, on the initiative of Hrachya Kaplanyan, a theatre-studio was organized under the society (from 1969, the Yerevan Dramatic Theatre). The society's editorial-publishing department prepared and published books and pamphlets generalizing the experience of theatres and Armenian masters of theatre art. On 19 January 1987, the union was founded in Yerevan on the basis of the Armenian Theatre Society. It unites theatre workers of the Republic of Armenia and includes 32 primary organizations of republican theatres and other creative unions, as well as branches in Gyumri (since 1964), Vanadzor (since 1969), Kapan (since 1987), and Stepanakert (since 1994). As of 1999 it had 1,250 members. Through its reorganized sections (editorial-publishing, creative, cinema hall, foreign relations, and others) and councils operating on a public basis, the union continues the activities of the Armenian Theatre Society in a new way. It operates a Creative House, an Actors' House, and a theatre souvenir factory. The union publishes the summary programme "Theatrical Yerevan" (since 1953). Affiliated with the union have been the "Friendship" theatre (1966–1990), a theatre-laboratory (artistic director A. Mazmanyan, 1988–1991), the magazine "Bem" (3 issues in 1990), and the newspaper "Husharar" (4 issues in 1991). The union's chairmen have included Gurgen Janibekyan (1940–1949), Tigran Shamirkhanyan (1949–1952), Vavik Vardanyan (1952–1955, 1959–1965), Vagharsh Vagharshyan (1955–1959), Hrachya Kaplanyan (1965–1988, and from 1987 of the ՀԹԳՄ), Khoren Abrahamyan (1989–1996), Yervand Ghazanchyan (1995–2007), and Hakob Ghazanchyan (since 2007). Hakob Yervandi Ghazanchyan was born on 3 July 1959 in Yerevan. He graduated from Gyumri Pushkin No. 6 secondary school in 1976 and from the directing faculty of the Moscow Lunacharsky State Institute of Theatre Arts in 1982. From 1984 to 1989 he headed the Kapan A. Shirvanzade State Theatre, and from 1989 to 1996 the Gyumri V. Achemyan State Theatre. He participated in many international theatre festivals and received main prizes. Since 2007 he has been president of the Theatre Workers Union of Armenia. In 2006 he was awarded the title of Honored Art Worker of Armenia, and in 2012 and 2013 the ՀԹԳՄ "Artavazd" award. The union remains active in the 21st century, organizing the annual Artavazd awards and maintaining an official website (theatersunion.am) that presents news, history, photographs, and repertoire. The site is bilingual in Armenian and English and carries a 2017 copyright notice.

• 2026

  Winners of the "Artavazd-2026" awards ceremony announced on 27 March.

• 2007

  Hakob Ghazanchyan becomes president of the union.

• 1994

  Stepanakert branch established.

• 1987

  Theatre Workers Union of Armenia founded on 19 January in Yerevan; Kapan branch established.

• 1969

  Vanadzor branch established; theatre-studio becomes Yerevan Dramatic Theatre.

• 1967

  Theatre-studio organized under the society on the initiative of Hrachya Kaplanyan.

• 1964

  Gyumri branch established.

• 1953

  Publication of the summary programme "Theatrical Yerevan" begins.

• 1940

  Armenian Theatre Society founded in Yerevan on the initiative of Gurgen Janibekyan.

A creative public organization and professional union for Armenian theatre workers, known for the Artavazd awards and cultural programming.

• Artavazd theatre awards

  Annual awards recognizing achievements in Armenian theatre.

• Theatrical Yerevan

  Summary programme published since 1953.

• Creative House

  A creative space operated by the union.

• Actors' House

  A facility for actors operated by the union.

• Theatre souvenir factory

  Produces theatre-related souvenirs.

1. 1Official website homepagetheatersunion.am
2. 2History pagetheatersunion.am
3. 3President pagetheatersunion.am
4. 4Wikidata entrywikidata.org
5. 5Armenian Wikipedia articlehy.wikipedia.org