Artist Residency in Armenia
Major’s House offers an artist residency in Armenia where artists, writers, musicians and other creative people can step away from routine, explore new ideas and create within the cultural environments of Stepanavan and Gyumri.
About the Major’s House Art Residency
The Major’s House artist residency was created to give creative people something increasingly difficult to find: time, space, silence and freedom to follow an idea without rushing it.
The programme approaches creativity as more than production. It creates room for research, observation, experimentation, reflection and rediscovery, allowing residents to develop work while building a deeper relationship with the place around them.
Armenian cultural memory, local communities, landscape, architecture and everyday life all form part of that environment. Rather than separating artistic practice from its surroundings, Major’s House encourages residents to notice how place, history and personal memory can enter the creative process.
The two residency locations offer different perspectives. Stepanavan provides a quieter setting shaped by nature, small-town life and reflection, while Gyumri connects residents with architecture, craftsmanship and an active urban cultural identity.
Together, they make the programme a creative residency in Armenia focused on individual artistic development, cultural exchange and meaningful engagement with place.
Who Is the Residency For
The residency welcomes people working across different creative disciplines. The focus is not limited to one artistic medium, allowing participants to approach the programme through their own work and research.
Visual Artists
Painters, photographers, filmmakers, illustrators, designers and other visual artists can use the residency for developing new work, research, experimentation or observation connected with the surrounding environment.
Writers and Authors
Writers, poets, researchers, essayists and storytellers can use the residency as time for drafting, editing, reading, research and developing ideas away from everyday interruptions.
Musicians and Performers
Musicians, composers and performers can approach the residency as a period for reflection, research, experimentation and exchange with other creative disciplines.
Other Creators and Thinkers
The programme can also be relevant to researchers, interdisciplinary artists and thinkers whose work engages with culture, memory, place, storytelling or other forms of creative inquiry.
Residency Locations: Stepanavan and Gyumri
The Major’s House artist residency takes place across two Armenian locations, each offering a distinct working and cultural environment.
Artist Residency in Stepanavan
Stepanavan offers the quieter side of the residency. Located in northern Armenia, the town is surrounded by forests and mountain landscapes and moves at a slower rhythm than a large city.
Major’s House Stepanavan stands on historic Milion Street among local homes. The setting connects the creative process with the town’s history, everyday life, nature and the family memories that helped shape Major’s House.
For residents who value reflection, independent work and time away from urban routines, Stepanavan offers an artist residency in nature without complete isolation from local culture and community.
Major’s House provides the hospitality and cultural setting from which residents can work, observe and explore the surrounding environment.
Boutique Hotel in Gyumri
Gyumri offers a more urban creative environment shaped by black-tuff architecture, historic streets, craftsmanship, music, theater, storytelling and contemporary artistic life.
The city’s relationship with artists and craftsmen gives residents opportunities to experience creative processes within a living cultural environment rather than a setting separated from everyday city life.
Major’s House Gyumri brings the residency concept into this architectural and cultural context, creating opportunities for observation, research and artistic inspiration within one of Armenia’s most distinctive cities.
Location preferences and final residency placement may depend on the conditions of the individual residency call. Applicants should review the current programme information when applying.
What Does Major’s House Residency Offer
The Major’s House residency combines hospitality with time for independent creative work, cultural observation and engagement with the surrounding environment.
Accommodation and Living Environment
Residents stay within the Major’s House hospitality environment, where individually designed interiors, shared spaces and a more intimate house-like atmosphere form part of the experience.
Specific accommodation arrangements, room options and what is included may vary by residency programme, so applicants should confirm these details in the current call.
Creative and Working Environment
The residency gives participants time and space for individual creative work, research, experimentation and artistic development.
Major’s House does not currently publish detailed specifications for dedicated studios, technical facilities or specialist equipment on its public residency page. Applicants with specific workspace or production requirements should confirm availability before applying.
Cultural Immersion and Local Experiences
Residents can experience Armenian culture through the different environments of Stepanavan and Gyumri, including local architecture, history, landscapes, food, everyday routines and creative communities.
This relationship with place is central to the programme. A residency for artists in Armenia can become not only time to produce work, but also an opportunity to listen, observe, research and develop new perspectives.
Residency Experience
Residents can expect time for independent creative exploration within a setting shaped by art, hospitality and local culture.
Opportunities for exchange, exhibitions, workshops, mentorship or other programme activities may depend on the specific residency period or open call and should be confirmed through the current application information.
Apply for the Major’s House Artist Residency
The Major’s House artist residency is intended for creators who want time to develop their work within the cultural and physical environments of Armenia.
Before applying, review the current residency conditions, location information, dates, eligibility requirements and programme details.
If your work connects with visual art, writing, music, performance, research or interdisciplinary creative work, you can submit an application through the current Major’s House residency process.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Major’s House Artist Residency
What is the Major’s House Artist Residency?
The Major’s House Artist Residency is a creative programme in Armenia that gives artists, writers, musicians and other creators time and space for independent work, reflection, research and engagement with local culture.
Where is the artist residency located in Armenia?
The residency is connected with Major’s House locations in Stepanavan and Gyumri. Stepanavan offers a quieter natural environment, while Gyumri provides a more urban cultural setting shaped by architecture, craftsmanship and creative life.
Who can apply for the residency?
The programme is intended for artists, writers, musicians and other creators. Exact eligibility requirements may vary between residency calls, so applicants should review the current programme conditions.
Can international artists apply?
The current public residency page does not state nationality restrictions. International applicants should review the active residency call or contact Major’s House directly to confirm current eligibility and application requirements.
Is accommodation included in the residency?
Major’s House connects the residency with its hospitality environments in Stepanavan and Gyumri, but the public residency page does not currently specify whether accommodation is included under every programme or call. Applicants should confirm the terms before applying.
What facilities and creative spaces are available to residents?
Residents have access to the Major’s House environment for their stay and creative work. Exact studio facilities, specialist equipment and dedicated working spaces are not currently detailed publicly and should be confirmed if your project has specific requirements.
What documents are required to apply?
The current public residency page does not list a fixed set of application documents. Applicants should follow the requirements of the active residency call, which may request information about their work, project or portfolio.